


Stranger Things Reader Insert || SEASON 2

by edgeh0g



Series: Stranger Things Rewrite || Will Byers x Reader [2]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: F/M, Stranger Things 2
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-01
Updated: 2020-02-21
Packaged: 2020-11-08 16:23:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 31
Words: 109,334
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20838500
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/edgeh0g/pseuds/edgeh0g
Summary: ⇢ Will Byers x Reader [Book 2/?] ⇠《SEASON 2》As always, you the reader are apart of Stranger Things. Being the adopted sister of Dustin Henderson, you, Y/N Henderson had embarked on a journey alongside your friends to find Will Byers, your best friend, while discovering secrets about yourself along the way.It has been a year since your best friend Will Byers was found, and as the the anniversary of his disappearance creeps up, things take a turn for the worse. A new threat has made its way to Hawkins Indiana, and with it, a familiar face offering answers to your past. Come along in the thrilling second season of Stranger Things, where things only get stranger.(Don't hate me... it was right there and I'm terrible at descriptions)





	1. CAST

So... you have powers! I am well aware it is super played out and I almost didn't go with it but then I thought, "fuck it, it's my story I can do what I want". So your powers are based on modern day (more or less modern day) druid spells. Below the visual representations, I have copied and pasted the exact descriptions of the spells from the official guide. Of course, they mention such things as statistics and how long it lasts etc, and all of that, of course, does not apply here. The description is here for background information.

For example,

THUNDERWAVE/GUST

"A wave of thunderous force sweeps out from you ...On a failed save, a creature takes 2d8 thunder damage and is pushed 10 feet away from you. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage and isn't pushed."

And

"A line of strong wind 60 feet long and 10 feet wide blasts from you in a direction you choose for the spell's duration. Each creature that starts its turn in the line must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be pushed 15 feet away from you in a direction following the line."

I combined Gust of Wind and Thundereave to create this ability. Essentially, a burst of energy builds up and explodes around you. The blurring effect was inspired by Daisy Johnson from Agents of Shield as shown above.

The blur effect is also to demonstrate the difference between this ability and Eleven.

It is not necessarily with your mind like Eleven, but it is a burst of energy that emits from you:

The heated element accompanied with it is demonstrated as an indication when your emotions are getting the best of you and is a symptom that occurs when you are close to using this ability and thunderwave is not exactly something you can do on command and it's guided by emotions hence why it tends to happen in life threatening situations.

Multiple examples of this have presented themselves all throughout season 1. If you can't name one now, feel free to go back and try to find them, there might be more than you realize. ;)

PLANT GROWTH

"This spell channels vitality into plants within a specific area. There are two possible uses for the spell, granting either immediate or long-term benefits" "...If you cast this spell over 8 hours, you enrich the land. All plants in a half-mile radius centered on a point within range become enriched for 1 year. The plants yield twice the normal amount of food when harvested."

Now, having always been good with plants for as long as you can remember, it is not a surprise when you find that you have an unusual talent for reviving plants. I was extremely close to not going with this but since the whole "each party member is similar to their dnd characters" theme I opted to keep it.

It is a rather subtle ability that is deep inside you but it represents the core of your character and morals in this story.

CURE WOUNDS

"Choose a creature that you can see within range. A surge of positive energy washes through the creature, causing it to regain 70 hit points. This spell also ends blindness, deafness, and any diseases affecting the target. This spell has no effect on constructs or undead."

This ability is arguably your most active and present power. It occurs naturally without thought, much like breathing. It has always been actively apart of you however it has not always been as obvious. It has gotten stronger and more effective over the years and doesn't reach its peak until after Will went missing.

It is unknown if you can heal others yet.

-SIDE EFFECTS-

As you may recall in season 1, especially after your discovery of your powers you had passed out.

This, of course, goes without much explanation. Having been your first time to ever exert this kind of power you were given a surge of adrenaline. This is, of course, normal in basic human nature. Some of you may be familiar with the concept of a woman having the strength to lift a car to save her baby, this was much like that. It wasn't until you weren't in immediate danger that your body collapsed from exhaustion. Though the more you use it the less likely you are to pass out.

You typically don't get nose bleeds when you use "thunderwave" but those root-like veins indicating strain.

I chose this because I didn't want you to be a second Eleven. And I thought it'd look cool. Also, I had a picture (I do not own this photo):

\--

Given the common use of "cure wounds" there aren't typically side effects. However, if there is a rather large wound that would normally have the potential to be fatal to any other, your body is quick to heal it and by doing so it makes you light-headed, a little winded, etc.

When it comes to plant growth, it is not necessarily you can manipulate plants but it's also not "oh you just have good luck with them". It is a balance between the two and it is a subtle ability. For now...

The side effects include a little dizziness but that's about it. A subtle ability has a subtle side effect.

That's all, I hope this was helpful and not boring or anything.

Enjoy the story!


	2. MADMAX - P1

Warnings: LOTS-O-FLUFF

||3rd Person POV||

"Son of a bitch! Son of a bitch!"

Dustin Henderson riffles through the plump cushions of his sitting room couch, throwing them around as he searches frantically for loose change. He abandoned the now disheveled couch and runs into the living room, where his mother sits, watching television and petting the cat.

Dustin begins riffing through the living room couch, angered at his lack of luck.

"Another stupid penny!" He huffs, chucking the penny across the room, startling the cat.

"Dusty, watch it!" His mother scolds. "You almost hit Mews."

"Can I please check under your cushions?" He pleads.

"Dusty."

"Mom, please? It's an emergency!" He whines.

In a mocking tone, his mother lets out a fake whine as she stands up from the chair which the boy returns.

"Who's your buddy? Who's your buddy?" She coos softly into the feline's ears.

Dustin, all the while wasted no time in checking the rocking chairs cushions.

"Honey, where's your sister? She's going with you, right?"

"Yeah, she's coming. Don't know where she is though." He throws over his shoulder as he continues to search.

Dustin stops when he feels the tips of his fingers graze the cold metal of the coins. Grabbing a hold of them, he smirks knowing he has some arcade money.

He hastily runs out of the room, bidding his mother farewell.

"Love you, mom."

Running down the halls, he comes to a stop at his bedroom door. Grabbing his headset off the nightstand he switches it on.

"Lucas, you copy? I've got four quarters. What's your haul?"

There is hardly a beat of silence before a response from Lucas Sinclair comes through.

"Take your puny haul and multiply it by five."

"How?" He asks bewildered.

"While you were scrounging around like a homeless bum, I mowed Old Man Humphrey's lawn."

"Old Man Humphrey's got that kinda cash?"

"Dustin!" A voice echoed throughout the house.

Sighing, Dustin brushed off the calls knowing he would only be a second.

"Just call Mike already."

"You call Mike." His face was contorted in frustration and little jealousy as he spoke.

"Dustin!"

"I have to go take a shower from doing real work, like a man. Over and out."

The walkie crackled signaling the cut off and Dustin sighed dropping his headset on the ground next to him.

Suddenly, a blur of [H/C] hair popped into view.

"There you are, I've been looking all over for you! You almost ready?"

There in the doorway stood [Y/N] Henderson. She was in the hallway, grip on the door frame as she leaned in, she seemed a little out of breath but she radiated energy.

Despite her playful energy and kid-like qualities, she had definitely aged in the past year. The young gang that had faced such turmoil had all grown in the past year, but [Y/N] more so than them. She stood a few inches taller and more of her clothes had filled in.

Dustin sighs, grabbing his quarters and standing up. "So, how much did you..."

The boy trailed off when he saw his sister hold up a small bag of change, a smirk plastered on her face.

"How did you...?"

"What? I save," she smirked and shook the bag slightly letting the contents rattle around.

"So, have you called Mike yet? I talked to Will, he's gonna meet us in 20 minutes."

"No,"

"Well, what have you been doing this whole time? Gimme that," the girl playfully grabbed the headset on switched it on.

"Mike, it's [Y/N]. Do you copy? Mike, do you copy?"

There was a small beat of silence as prepared herself to switch to the regular channel, then, to her surprise a voice crackled over the headset.

"Yeah. Yeah, I copy." Came the voice of Mike Wheeler.

The girl's face scrunched up in confusion for a brief moment.

"Wait, that worked? Mike, what are you doing on this channel?"

"Nothing,"

"So listen, Lucas, Dustin and I have, about uh," The girl paused, gesturing to her brother how much he and Lucas had gathered. "About ten bucks total, thirteen counting Will's, what's your haul?"

Dustin's eyes bulged at the number. Mike was just as shocked.

"Seriously? Oh, shit, I don't know yet."

"What do you mean? You haven't checked yet? We're meeting in 15!" The girl said, her voice rising as she began to pace.

"Just hold on, I'll be there."

The radio crackled and signaled that he had shut off his comm.

Sighing, the girl ripped off the headset and tossed it on her brother's bed.

"He doesn't even know his haul yet. I swear, sometimes I get the feeling he's hiding something."

Dustin chuckled and cracked a smile. "That's rich, coming from the girl who practices magic in her room when no one's there,"

"Would you-!" She lightly smacked her brother on the arm, shushing him.

"You want mom to hear?" She hissed in a warning tone, getting closer to her brother so she could whisper. "And for the last time, it's not magic. I may not know much about it, and I figure the more I practice the more control I'll have."

"I just don't understand why you can't tell mom,"

"Dustin, we've talked about this. You know how sketchy that lab was and how they searched Mike's house and it got his parents involved. I don't want mom knowing about this, maybe someday but definitely not anytime soon. I don't want to put her in danger. Plus, you know how she is. Now, please, please promise me you won't tell her."

"To be fair, I never said I would,"

The girl fought the urge to roll her eyes at her brother's technicality, given that he was keeping her secret.

While her and her friends had been looking for their friend Will who had gone missing, [Y/N] had discovered things about herself that she never imagined to be possible. In the week spent looking for Will, the girl and her friends had been chased by federal agents when they befriended an escapee from their laboratory, a young girl the same age as her who had telekinetic abilities. When cornered by these agents, [Y/N] had managed to fight them off without even trying, thanks to her newfound abilities of her own.

Thankfully, Will had been brought back and everything had returned to normal. Unfortunately, Eleven, the girl they had befriended, didn't make it, for she had saved the group by destroying the monster and disappeared with it. A few weeks passed and [Y/N] began to explore her new abilities.

Having been adopted as an infant, [Y/N] had no idea who her birth parents were or how she could have these powers. All the strange things about herself all made sense; she had always been able to heal abnormally quicker than anyone else. She could also revive any plants and seemed to have a way with them.

So from time to time, [Y/N] would test these abilities. Attempt to control them. When she accidentally scrapped her knee on her skates over the summer, so she sat herself down and managed to heal herself. She had been getting quite good. She what talents she could to help her friends. Given that they were apart of the mess and most of them had witnessed her use her powers in person, she had no choice but to explain herself after everything and cooled off.

After the initial shock of it all, they all thought it was amazing. Will Byers most of all. The boy had harbored feeling for the Henderson girl for years. It wasn't until his disappearance had the girl realized her feelings towards him. The two were often teased by their friends despite nothing happening. The pair knew of each other's feelings and that was enough for them.

They were happy.

Being the protective brother Dustin was, he didn't mind so much. He knew Will made her happy and that's all that really mattered to him. Didn't mean it wasn't still a little weird for him. Although, being the brother and the friend he had double the opportunity to tease and tease he did.

"So," He said, shoving his hands into his pockets. "we better get a move on,"

[Y/N] began nodding her head in agreement when Dustin slipped in a comment that caused the girl to scoff, hiding a small blush.

"wouldn't want to keep that boyfriend of yours waiting."

[Y/N] scoffed, rolling her eyes. She extended out an arm and yanked Dustin's hat over his eyes, casuing him to laugh and readjust it. By the time he had fixed it, his sister was already out of the door.

||Reader's POV||

Dustin and I had met up with Mike and Lucas and as we pulled into the parking lot, I spared a glance at my watch to see that we just barely made it. We all dismounted our bikes and hauled them on to the curb and parked them. The sound of a car honking grabbed our attention.

I looked over to see the familiar green Ford Pinto and a smiling Will. Joyce had just pulled up and she gave me a warm smile which I gladly returned.

"Hey!" My brother shouted.

Will waved at all of us, and I waved back and his smile widened. He turned to talk to his mom, and the guys headed inside. I stuck my hands in my jacket pockets and lingered near the bikes, wanting to wait up for him.

Soon enough, he shut the car door and he quickly made his way over. We walked side by side to the front doors.

"Hey there," I chirped.

As we walked side by side, I playfully nudged him with my shoulder and he laughed and blushed a little.

"Hey," he kept his eyes on his feet, but he never stopped smiling.

Suddenly, he walked forward a few steps and pulled the door open for me.

"Thank you," I giggled.

"Of course," he mumbled, sounding dazed.

||3rd Person POV||

Joyce Byers watched, waiting to make sure her youngest son got inside safely.

She smiled to herself seeing how happy he was around [Y/N]. Joyce was so lucky to have such a great girl to look out for him. Joyce always loved [Y/N], and she proved to be more than worthy for her son.

Her chest filled with pride when she saw her son hold the door for his "girlfriend".

Everytime she brought up the subject, or even the word, Will would insist they were just friends. But she knew they were just too shy to admit it.

The last thing Joyce saw before she pulled away was the love sick gaze on her son's face whenever he looked at [Y/N] Henderson when she wasn't looking.


	3. MADMAX - P2

||Reader's POV||

"To slay the dragon, use the magic sword."

"Oh, Jesus! I'm in uncharted territory here, guys."

"Down! Down! Down!"

"I'm going! I'm going!"

The cartoon woman on the screen exclaimed as the game picked up speed. All of surrounded us Dustin, cheering him on as he played.

"I'm going! I'm going! I'm going!"

The boys yelled over one another as I stood on my toes to try and get a better look at the screen.

"Okay. Shut up. Shut up. Shut up!" Dustin bellowed as he slammed his hands on the buttons, but then the disappointing sounds from the machine indicated he had lost.

Dustin began taking out his anger on the machine, kicking as he screamed profusely at it.

Meanwhile, the screen returned to the original title screen, inviting its next player. Lucas began to goad at Dustin.

"You're not nimble enough. But you'll get there one day. But until then, Princess Daphne is still mine."

"Whatever. I'm still tops on Centipede and Dig Dug."

"You sure about that?"

We all turned our heads to see one of the younger employees, Keith. He was standing there with a bag of cheese puffs and an awkward smirk.

Dustin's face dropped as he asked the question we all seemed to know the answer to.

"Sure about what?"

Keith only smiled and took a large rather obnoxious bite out of a cheese puff.

Dustin broke out into a panicked sprint and we all quickly followed suit, curious to see the outcome.

"Move! Move! No, no, no, no, no. Hey, no! No! No!"

We all zeroed in on the Dig Dug screen where sure enough, Dustin held second place to someone named MADMAX who held an insanely good score.

"751,300 points!" Will exclaimed, turning and sharing a disbelieving look with one another.

It was then that Mike chimed in. "That's impossible."

"Wow, you really have your work cut out for you." I said, with a hint of a smile on my face as I patted my brother's back.

He only ripped his shoulder away from me, clearly annoyed and turned to Keith.

"Who is Mad Max?"

"Better than you."

"Is it you?" Will asked.

Keith scoffed. "You know I despise Dig Dug."

"Then who is it?"

"Yeah, spill it Keith."

"You want information, then I need something in return," he smirked and looked at Mike.

It took me a second to realize what was being implied. When it hit me, I fought the urge to through up in my mouth.

"Gross!" I exclaim, crossing my arms defiantly.

"No, no, no. No way. You're not getting a date with her"

"Mike, come on. Just get him the date."

"I'm not prostituting my sister!"

"But it's for a good cause."

"Oh, so what? Does this mean you're gonna have Dustin pimp me out whenever you need a favor?"

"Well, I mean," he teetered.

"Lucas!" My voice starts to reach higher octaves and I feel Will's hand grab my own.

I give his hand a light squeeze, silently thanking him and my attention was brought back to the conversation when Dustin spoke up.

"No, don't get him the date. Know what? He's gonna spread his nasty-ass rash to your whole family." Thrown off by the sudden direction that conversation headed, I sighed, releasing Will's hand and running both hands through my hair.

"Acne isn't a rash and it isn't contagious, you pubescent wastoid." Keith threw back.

"Oh, I'm a wastoid? She wouldn't go out on a date with you. You make, like, what? $2.50 an hour?"

"Nice perm."

"Gonna make fun of my hair?"

I sighed, knowing we were gonna be here a while.

Suddenly, a voice caught my attention.

"Hey. Hey, guys, do you see the..." I frowned when I saw Will was standing over by the front door, looking around the arcade curiously.

"Yeah?" I asked walking forward.

But he only looked right through me. I could tell he was now on edge.

"Will?"

Suddenly, he let out a frightened gasp and whipped around to face the door. My stomach dropped.

"Will? Hey, come on." My breathing began to pick up, I risked a glance at the boys but they were too distracted in their argument and it was far too loud. That's when Will began to walk outside. Not wanting to lose him or let him get hurt I quickly followed him.

"Will, hey, it's me, come on." He stopped when he reached the edge of the sidewalk and he stood still, rooted in place. He looked to the sky in terror. I looked over my shoulder only to see nothing but the stars, and I looked back to him. He was still frozen.

I shakily brought my hands up to his shoulders. "Will!"

He gasped and I could tell he was back. Without even thinking, I engulfed him in a hug, and he shakily returned it. I pulled back to look at him and I touched his cheek. "Are you okay?"

His eyes lingered on me and he nodded his head. I was now very aware of the fact that my hand was still on his cheek and I quickly pulled away, a little flustered. There was a moment of silence and then I looked back up at him, knowing on some level what it was about.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He looked away for a moment, before shaking his head.

"I'm fine. I'd rather not, at least not right now."

I smiled reassuringly. "That's completely okay. I get it." I glanced down at his hand before taking it in my own and together we headed back into the arcade.

+++

"That's what's I've been saying! I'm telling you, she may be a teacher, but that doesn't give her any right to treat kids like that!"

"Yes, exactly! Thank you! Hey so do you have any plans for Halloween?"

Emma was a great friend I had made in the dirty trenches of math class where a solid bond was formed. The two of us were currently walking down the hallway, discussing the horrors that was last class.

"I do actually, yeah me and the guys are going together. They're gonna be the Ghostbusters and I..." I trailed off when I saw Will up ahead.

He was standing at his locker, looking around rather disturbed with something in his hands.

Hesitating to take my eyes off of him I reluctantly looked to Emma. "Hey, can we talk later? I'm sorry, it's just, I think I need to check on him,"

"Oh yeah, no problem. I'll see you later!"

I threw her a grateful smile as she walked away and then I hurried over to Will.

"Will! Hey, everything okay?"

His head whipped around to face me and he seemed a bit startled to see me. I gently put a hand on his shoulder in reassurance and that seemed to calm his nerves.

"Oh, um, yeah I'm okay." He quickly folded up a small piece of paper that didn't go unnoticed.

"You sure?" He nodded his head and smiled warmly at me causing my stomach to do little flips.

"So, what's that?"

"It's nothing," he said and I raised my eyebrows, not quite believing him. "really. I'm okay."

"Okay, well in that case, should we head to science?" I smiled and held out my hand shyly and he gladly took it.

+++

"Meet the human brain," Mr. Clarke said, placing the model before us.

"I know. I know, it doesn't look like much. A little gross even, right? But consider this. There are a hundred billion cells inside of this miracle of evolution. All working as one,"

I was hanging onto every word, fascinated much like my other friends. I looked to Will excitedly but he didn't even seem to be paying attention. Something was definitely bothering him. My face fell when I saw this, unintentionally tuning oh Mr. Clarke as well in the process.

I turned the boy and was about to say something when the abrupt sound of the classroom door closing grabbed me attiention. Everyone seemed to look to the front when the principle walked in with a girl our age.

She had fiery red hair and freckles all over her face. She wore jeans and a red sweatshirt. I felt kinda bad for her though, she seemed uncomfortable being the center of attention which Mr. Clarke inevitably put her under the spotlight.

"Ah, this must be our new student."

"Indeed it is. All yours" with that, the principal left, leaving the awkward introduction of the new student.

She attempted to rush to find seat but Mr. Clarke stopped her. "All right. Hold up. You don't away that easy. Come on up. Don't be shy."

She didn't attempt to hide her eye roll as she backed up to face the class.

"Dustin, drum roll."

Without skipping a beat, my brother began drumming his palms on his desk and Mr. Clarke began the introduction.

"Class, please welcome, all the way from sunny California, the latest passenger to join us on our curiosity voyage, Maxine."

The girl shifted uncomfortably before mumbling. "It's Max."

"Sorry?" He asked.

"Nobody calls me Maxine. It's Max." We all looked to each other, thinking the same thing.

"Mad Max." Lucas whispered.

"Well, all aboard Max."

I couldn't fight the smile growing on my face and like the boys, we all couldn't help but watch as she took a seat at the back of the class.

She leaned back and crossed her arms, obviously still uncomfortable from the sudden spotlight. She frowned when she saw all the guys staring at her and turned to Dustin and Lucas and a loose chuckled escaped me. They were practically drooling.

I looked to her once more and she met eye. I made sure send her a small welcoming smile, not wanting to make her more uncomfortable than she already was.

+++  
We all stood in the small baseball dug out, watching, well the boys were anyway, Max. She was riding her skateboard all around the campus and we were debating wether or not she could be Mad Max. I had settled on the bench in the dug out, not feeling comfortable to be standing around watching someone.

"There's no way that's Mad Max." Mike stated matter of factly.

"Yeah, girls don't play video games." Will said, catching me by surprise.

I crossed my arms and looked at him. "What's that?"

He seemed to notice his mistake, and shuffled uncomfortably. "Except you, I mean. You're cool,"I only raised my eyebrows.

"I'm sorry, you know what I mean though, right?" I laughed, having already forgiven him, but enjoying being able to mess with him.

Dustin brought his fist up to his mouth and spoke through pretend coughs. "Whipped."

Will turned to him and whacked his arm and I only giggled.

"Ok, but seriously, regardless you can't get 750,000 on Dig Dug. It's impossible," Mike said, still focused on the conversation.

"But her name is Max," Lucas argued.

"So what?"

"So, how many Maxes do you know?"

"I don't know."

"Zero, that's how many,"

Dustin the spoke up. "Yeah, and she shows up to school the day after someone with her name beat our top score,"

"Here's a crazy idea, why don't you ask her?" I chimed, looking up at the boys.

"No, no way! She'll be weirded out,"

"Oh, and stalking the poor girl is doing you everybody so many favors,"

"My point is, I don't even think it's necessary. She gotta be Mad Max, she's gotta be,"

"Plus, she skateboards, so she's pretty awesome," Dustin argued, much to the dismay of Mike.

"Awesome? You haven't even spoken a word to her!"

"I don't have to, I mean look at her. Shit, I've lost the target."

"There," Will said, and we all followed his gaze to the back entrance of school.

She stood at the top of the steps, and before going inside she dropped a crumpled up piece of paper into the trash.

The boys, looked to each other, silently communicating before simultaneously running towards the trash can much to my dismay.

"Oh, you have got to be kidding me," I mumble, begrudgingly walking after them.

Sure enough, they began digging through the trash can and by the time I reached them they grabbed the piece of paper.

"Seriously, guys this is a new low," I snatched the piece of paper from them. "It's just garbage,"

"Well, if it's just garbage, then open it," Lucas retorted.

I sighed, looking them in the eye while unfolding it. "Fine, but only to show how ridiculous you are being, I mean come-" I stopped short when I read the words, a loud belly laugh erupting from me.

"What? Let me see!"

"What?"

"Give it!"

Your laughter died into giggles as you watched their faces fall as they read the words

"Stop spying on me CREEPS"

They sighed and looked up at me as I stifled my giggles with a hand against my mouth. My hand dropped my side and I sighed, before smirking.

"I like her."

"Well, shit," Dustin sighs.

I feel a pit forming in my stomach when I hear the principle speak. "William Byers, your mother's here," we all turned to face him, and I could immediately feel the anxiety radiating off of him.

I grabbed his hand in mine and I gave it a reassuring squeeze and he squeezed my hand lightly in return as he looked at me.

He was doing it again. He was shutting himself down again.

He game me a weak smile and without another word he followed the teacher into the school to get his stuff.

Without even a second thought I walked quickly around the building and the others followed. I peeked around the corner ad watched as he walked slowly to the car where his mother was waiting for him greeting him with a smile and a wave.

"you guys think he's okay?" Dustin asked.

"He's always weird when he has to go in,"

"I don't know. He's quiet today," Mike said worriedly.

"He hasn't been himself lately. I ran into him in the hallway and he was acting all weird and secretive."

"Well, you're basically his girlfriend. Has he shared anything with you lately, I mean he tells you everything,"

My face fell and I looked to my feet in sadness before looking back up and watching as he reluctantly got in the car. "That's just it. He hasn't said a word. I think something is really bothering him,"

"and, for the first time, I feel like," I sighed. "I can't help him."


	4. MADMAX - P3

Warnings: an instance of self harm TECHNICALLY. I don't know if I can even call it self harm but it is not out of depression, but it is for demonstration. Regardless I felt the need to warn you guys in case this might be a trigger to some of you. If you are concerned it might be, i will put a signal [▪▪▪] at the beginning and the end of the instance if that makes sense? Sorry if it's weird i just have never dealt with this issue before and i don't want to trigger anybody. Also, unedited and most likely filled with grammatical errors

[FLASHBACK]

"Come on!" The giggles of the girl were softly carried through the trees.

Will Byers and Y/N Henderson were lightly jogging through the woods to the infamous Castle Byers hand in hand.

"Okay, okay" Will laughed, trying to catch up with the girl ahead of him.

It had been a few weeks since coming home from the hospital after his disappearance, and Y/N Henderson had yet to share her secret with him.

She insisted that she wait until they could talk in private, so Will had suggested Castle Byers, even though he was still uneasy about the woods since the incident.

Here they were, rushing through the trees to the makeshift fortress in the woods.

He had never stopped trying to pry any sort of information from her prior to this, but she wouldn't break.

Sure enough, the familiar flag and sign of Castle Byers came into view and the two ducked inside.

Will fought the shutter that creeped up when he took a look around. The last time he had been here was in the Upside Down.

When it got him.

But when he looked at Y/N, it was different. He was still spooked but he felt grounded with her here with him.

They both took a seat, her in her normal spot. Her having been over so many times, Castle Byers had become their thing, their hideaway and she had her own corner with some of her comic books and other things of hers.

"So what is it? Is everything okay?"

She chuckled weakly and looked down, her nerves began to stir. "Yeah, everything's fine, but uh, it's weird. I'm not gonna lie, it's very weird."

Will's brows furrowed but his curiousity was peaked. Silently, he urged her to go on.

She took a deep breath and began.

"So, do you remember all that stuff we told you about that girl who helped us, El? And how she had... abilities?"

He considered this and then nodded his head. Ordinarily, he would have difficulty believing it but after the whole ordeal he went through, anything seemed possible at that point.

"Well, I think - I think it might be better if I show you."

[▪▪▪]

Before Will could ask what she meant, she took a steep breath and exhaled pulling out a small pocket knife. She awkwardly opened it and hesitantly brought it up to her palm.

Will's eyes bulged and his face went pale and he frantically reached to stop her, sputtering desperately trying to find the words to tell her to stop. But it was too late. With a sharp hiss she dragged the blade across her palm drawing out a thick stream of blood.

"Crap, Y/N, what the hell was that? Are you okay?"

[▪▪▪]

Will began to look around frantically for something to stop the blood and settled on a discarded piece of cloth that tore from the ratty sheet that was used for the entrance the fort.

He quickly pressed the cloth to her palm and she hissed once more, glancing up at him, smiling and thanking him. She gently took the cloth and applied pressure for a few more seconds and then wiped the remaining blood away and set the cloth aside.

She shifts nervously taking a long inhale through her nose and closing her eyes. She clenched her bleeding fist and Will watched with bewilderment as her brows furrowed slightly and body tensed for a brief moment.

Though only moments passed, Will took the opportunity to gaze at the girl before him. And although her face held a stern look of concentration, it had sense of emotional vulnerability.

It took everything in him to pry his eyes from her face and to focus on her hand and while nothing seemed to present itself as unusual he knew nothing would be the same somehow.

His heart began to pound against his chest, and then it happened.

Her fingers slowly unfurled and Will gaped at what he saw. Blood still stained her fingertips and palm but the cut itself was gone. Like it had never existed.

"Wh- I- How did-?"

"I know, even I still can't believe it. And no, I don't know for sure how I got it, technically, but, there's more,"

Will clung to her every word as she retold the story of her encounter with the bad men, only this time including every detail. All the way up to what the white haired man said to her as they tried to take her away.

It fell quiet for a moment and Will spoke up.

"So, do you think, do you think that place, is where you come from?"

She bit her lip nervously and met his eye, nodding her head.

"I mean, it's gotta be right? I can't think of any other possible explanation for it. And what's even more terrifying to think about is, if that really is the case, would I have grown up like Eleven? I can't even begin to imagine how awful it must have been,"

Y/N grew quiet and Will hung his head, sparing a glance at the girl.

"I'm sorry for bringing it up,"

"No, no," she laughed weakly. "No, it's okay. This is huge, it's hard not to want to ask questions. And I'm sorry you couldn't find out until now, but I couldn't risk anyone else overhearing or finding out or anything. And I made the others promise not to tell you. I figured it should come from me,"

"No, I'm glad it did." He smiled. "So, how much did they freak out?"

Y/N laughed as she recalled the memory, explaining how after everything calmed down they bombarded her with questions and wouldn't let it go all as she wore a fond smile on her face. It soon fell as their laughter died down and she grew more serious.

"Will,"

"Yeah?"

"Will, you faced a monster that week. Spent every moment running and hiding. But in a way, we did too. Those men were," she began to tear up never the less she continued. "Will, they terrified me. He, terrified me. It was like... it was like getting caught doing something bad. And your parents tell you it's time to go. And you know, you know when you do, when no one else is around, that's when they yell at you. That's when they ground you,"

"And, I knew that if they got ahold of me, if he got ahold me. He could make me disappear forever. I mean, Jesus, they made and dumped a fake you in the quarry, Will. We buried you. I don't even want to think about what would have happened if things turned out any different than it did"

Will felt his heart break for her. Everything she had said was true. They all faced their own horrors that week, and it left scars that even she couldn't heal. Wanting desperately to console her, he reached out and took her hand in comfort.

"The point is," she wiped away the remaining tears and looked at him. "Will, you need to promise me that you aren't going to tell anyone. Especially my mom. The others know, obviously, can't risk anyone who isn't already involved to know, it puts them in danger."

"Don't worry, Y/N. You're secret is safe with me."

She smiled thankfully at him and the two of them shared a brief moment of peace which quickly turned to silence that needed to be filled.

"So, can you do it on command? You know, the wave thing?"

She smiled shyly and shook her head. "No, it's rare, and pretty much happens on it's own in really bad situations"

He smiled at her and she chuckled.

"What?"

"I bet you could."

"Could what?"

"Learn to control it. I mean, look what you did with your hand! Imagine what you could do with your other powers,"

"You know, this might sound weird, but then again, all of this is weird," the two chuckled and she continued. "But, I think all this might connect to my bizarre luck with plants. Like, who knows? I could be the next Poison Ivy," she joked.

Will breathed out a light laugh and nodded head. "Totally,"

The two smiled at each other and butterflies stirred between the two.

They both held each other's gaze and then Will speaks up.

"You should try. Practice your powers, I mean. You could do great things,"

"Yeah, I could, couldn't I?" Y/N giggled, a confident smile on her face.

She laughed and rubbed her hands together before reaching her hand out and gently placed her palm on the dirt ground and closed her eyes.

It was at that moment Will could have sworn he saw the smallest bit of movement-

[END OF FLASHBACK]

||Will's POV||

"Will?"

"Huh?"

It took a moment to come back to reality.

"Yeah. Yeah, sorry." I mumbled halfheartedly.

"Hey. What did we talk about, huh? You've got to stop it with the sorries."

"Sorry." I quickly realize what I said. "I mean, yeah, I know"

"And listen, you know, there's nothing to he nervous about, you know."

"Just tell 'em what you felt last night and what you saw. Hey, I'm gonna be there the whole time. So it's gonna be okay. Okay?"

I couldn't help but think of Y/N, and what they would do if they knew about her.

And I didn't even want to think about the possibility of them knowing about her and the fact that they could take her away at any time.

I shook my head subtly, trying to rid myself of the awful thought.

The anxiety was creeping up on me again and I rested my head on the side of the window, looking out at the open road ready to let my mind wander.

+++

"Sir Will, how are you? Mom? Pop? Let's take a look, see what's going on here," Dr. Owens entered the room. He greeted me, my mom and Hopper who always came along to support us.

Dr. Owen's sat down next to me and begins looking through my file, stirring up conversation as usual. "I see you shaved off a pound since we saw you last. Must be making room for all that Halloween candy. What's your favorite candy?"

I lightly shrugged, clamming up a bit not used to the sudden spotlight.

"Desert island candy, if you had to pick on?"

"I don't know."

"Come on, life or death situation, what would you pick?"

"I guess..."

Mom mouthed Reese's Pieces.

"Reese's Pieces."

"Good call. Good call. I'm more of a Mounds guy, but I gotta say, peanut butter and chocolate, come on, hard to beat that. All right, so tell me what's going on with you. Tell me about this episode you had."

There it was.

I took a deep breath to calm my nerves and I felt a chill run down my spine at the recollection.

"Well, my friends were there and then they just weren't, and I was back there again."

"In the Upside Down?"

I nodded my head.

"All right, so what happened next?"

"I heard this noise, and so I went outside, and it was worse."

"How was it worse?"

"There was this storm"

I could still see the flashes as clear as day.

"Okay. So how did you feel when you saw the storm?"

"I felt... frozen."

《•••》

I trembled as I stared at the monster in the sky. I could hear the faint echo of her voice.

"Will?"

It's staring at me. The shadow.

《•••》

"Heart racing?"

"Just frozen."

"Frozen, cold frozen? Frozen to the touch?"

"No. Like how you feel when you're scared, and you can't breathe or talk or do anything. I felt... I felt this evil, like it was looking at me."

"It was evil?"

"Well... What do you think the evil wanted?"

"To kill."

"To kill you?"

"Not me." For the first time since he questioned me, I looked him in the eye. "Everyone else."

My heart was pounding against my rib cage, and my palms were sweating.

I felt mom squeeze my hand.

"Do you want to tell him what you told me, baby?" She whispered.

I frowned for a second as I looked to her before I knew what she was talking about. It was a small detail I didn't even realize had happened until I was telling her about my episode.

"I remember hearing, very faintly," I took a breath, hoping to subtly stop my quickening heartbeat. "I heard this voice. My friend. She was the only one I could kind of hear."

"So your friend was with you when you had this episode?"

"Yeah," I mumbled avoiding eye contact once more.

"Is this regular for you? Can you normally hear others outside of an episode?"

"Never. And I wanted to hold onto it for as long as I could but I was too scared."

"What were you afraid would happen, Will?"

"It saw her," I could feel the color drain from my face.

My heartbeat quickened. I didn't want them to know about her. But if what I am about to admit out loud really is true, that means she could be facing an even greater danger.

"Was she there with you?"

I shook my head. "No, but I could barely hear her. Like she was calling to me from a distance. And I wanted to follow that. I thought maybe, if I did, the episode would stop but-" my eyes were beginning to burn, I hadn't realized I was fighting back tears.

"It's okay, take your time," Dr. Owen's said.

I took another deep breath and managed to swallow the lump in my throat.

"But I couldn't let myself,"

"And why not?"

"It saw her," I looked the man, unable to hide the growing fear in my eyes. "It saw her as a threat."


	5. MADMAX - P4 - FINAL

||Reader's POV||

"Still no sign?" Dustin asked.

"Jack shit"

"Seriously, what is wrong with you guys? I thought we were coming here to play arcade games?"

"We came here to see if Max really is Mad Max."

"You mean stalking?" I smirked. "Hey listen, I'm not really into the whole idea of stalking some poor girl, so I'm gonna go inside and beat some high scores, okay?" I said nonchalantly, pointing my thumb over my shoulder in the direction of the arcade.

"Y/N! Are you crazy? You'll jeopardize our mission!"

I began walking backwards, hands in my pockets as I spoke to the slightly panicked boys.

"Yeah, mmhmm sure. Later guys, you both are welcome to join me if you like. Dustin? If you do end up heading home, just let mom know I'll be home by 7 at the latest."

Leaving them without time to respond, I turned around and head for the arcade doors across the parking lot as I heard their fading protests.

With that, I headed inside.

+++

"Well, shit." I mumbled.

I hated going to Kieth for stuff.I had only been here twenty minutes and one of the machines already ftitzed out again and kept my money. So, I begrudgingly walked over to the counter.

"Well, well, well, look who it is. Little miss too perfect."

"And what is that supposed to mean, Keith?" I sighed, folding my arms on the counter.

"You act like your too good for everyone. It's obnoxious."

"Just because I prefer to practice basic hygiene doesn't mean I'm a snob, it means I have common sense. Who knows what you've contracted handling all these machines." I retort.

"Do you need help or not?" He said lazily.

He looked me right in the eye and took a large, noisy bite out of his cheeto puffs knowing I hated the sound.

"Forget it," I sighed and turned around about to storm off. 

I felt my shoulder collide with another and I backed up at the sudden impact.

"Sorry!"

"What it,"

I looked up to see the girl from class, Max.

"Oh, hey. Max, right?"

"Yeah, how'd you-? Wait... you hang out with those creeps, don't you?" She asked with a frown on her face.

"I should explain," I said, a weak smile on my face. "For one thing, one of those creeps happens to be my brother. And two, yeah... they can be creepy. I'm sorry, I've been trying to get them to back off. They can be a real handful sometimes,"

Her arched eyebrow soften and a small smile creeps up and she visibly relaxes.

"I'm Y/N, by the way,"

"Max," she smiled reaching her hand out to shake. "But, I guess you already knew that."

The both us laughed lightly.

"So," She began. "Any particular reason as to why I'm the subject of their interest?"

We began walking side by side and found ourselves by DigDug and I pointed at my brother's name.

"Well, you practically obliterated my brother's top scores and they find it hard to believe a girl is responsible for that,"

There seemed to be a look of confusion on her face.

"Well, you play don't you?"

"Yep, but I guess to them, I don't count,"

"Yikes,"

"Right?" I leaned in sort of close, turning her away from the windows when I caught sight of Lucas and Dustin. "Hey listen, I feel like I owe it to you to tell you that they are here right now and it was my mistake to think they wouldn't resort to crouching outside the windows and spying so would you like to go to the opposite end of the arcade where they can't be creeps?"

She looked at me with slightly widened eyes, "wait, you knew?"

"They tricked me into coming, I thought we where gonna play, but when I realized it was a stakeout to see if you were MadMax, I told them off and came inside to play, I swear."

"Oh," her face softened slightly. "Well, thanks."

She casually glanced over her shoulder, and grabbed my arm. "Come on, follow me,"

With a growing smile on my face I followed.

+++

Max and I had a surprisingly good time. We hid out in the corner behind one of the machines and messed with a Keith. Eventually Max had to leave, this gross scuz showed up blasting AC/DC who I could only assumed was the notorious asshole of a stepbrother that she briefly mentioned.

She barely talked about him but with the what little knowledge I did have of him, I felt bad for her and I suddenly was reminded of how extremely lucky to have someone like Dustin as my brother.

Before I could even realize it, I was pulling into the drive way, parking my bike. I had biked home with Dustin who had been knowing my ear off trying to pry information from me about Max but I tuned him out.

"Seriously, Y/N, why can't you just tell me what she was like?"

Dustin was parking his bike as I went through the front door ahead of him.

"Because, for the last time Dustin, I'm not some spy that's gonna feed you information because your too chicken to reach out and talk to her like a normal human being," I had shed my coat and was hanging it up by the front door.

I turned to face my brother only to see he wasn't behind me. I walked towards the front door and peeked outside to see him cautiously stalking towards the garbage can.

"Dustin?"

He nearly jumped two feet in the air and whipped around to face me.

"Jesus! Y/N, don't do that to me!"

"I'm... sorry, are you okay? What the hell happened?"

He looked over his shoulder at the trash can once more and then back at me, sighing as he trudged inside.

"Nothing, thought I heard something,"

||3rd Person POV||

The Byers household was filled with the smiles and the aroma of popcorn as everyone prepared for movie night. Jonathan could here the sounds of his mother's voice as he made his way to his younger brothers room.

"Well, put the future down and get me a clean bowl."

Jonathan gently wrapped his knuckles on the door to Will's room before opening the door. Will was sitting on his bed, his legs crossed as he colored.

"Hey, bud. I didn't know what you'd like, so I got a variety." He held up the VHS tapes to show his brother before putting them on a nearby shelf. "Take your pick."

Will lightly shrugged before returning to his drawing. "Whatever you want,"

"All right," Jonathan came forward and took a seat across from his brother on his bed. "What are you working on?"

He leaned over to see the picture of of a boy in ripped and ragged clothing with a snarl on his face, the words "Zombie Boy" next him.

"Zombie Boy? Who's Zombie Boy?"

Will looked slightly uncomfortable at the question before mumbling, "me,"

"Did someone call you that?"

Will didn't respond.

"Hey. You can talk to me. You know that, right? Whatever happened. Will, come on, talk to me."

Will's head whipped up. "Stop treating me like that." He snapped.

Jonathan was hurt, not by his brother's words but the fact that his brother was clearly struggling.

"What? Like what?"

"Like everyone else. Like there's something wrong with me."

"What are you talking about?"

"Mom, Dustin, Lucas. Everyone. They treat me like I'm gonna break. Like I'm a baby. Like I can't handle things on my own. It doesn't help. It just makes me feel like more of a freak."

"You're not a freak."

"Yeah, I am. I am,"

"You know what? You're right." Jonathan picked himself up and sat crisscross on the bed across his brother. "You are a freak"

Will looked up at his brother, taken aback.

"What?"

"No, I'm serious. You're a freak. But what? Do you wanna be normal? Do you wanna be just like everyone else? Being a freak is the best. I'm a freak."

Will tried to make sense of this. "Is that why you don't have any friends?"

Jonathan chuckled, running a hand through his hair. "I have friends, Will."

"Then why are you always hanging out with me?"

"Because your my best friend, all right? And I would rather be best friends with Zombie Boy than with a boring nobody. You know what I mean? Okay, look... who you rather be friends with? Bowie, or Kenny Rogers"

Will smiled, and shivered. "Ugh,"

"Exactly. It's no contest. The thing is, nobody normal ever accomplished anything meaningful in this world. You got it?"

"Well... some people like Kenny Rogers." Will offered.

"Kenny Rogers." Came a excited voice from the doorway.

The boys turned to see their mother's boyfriend, Bob standing in the doorway. "I love Kenny Rodgers." He chuckled.

The boys looked at each other with matching grins.

Bob walked in with a friendly smile on his face. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing" Will giggled, and Bob picked up the VHS tapes, examine them.

Suddenly his eyes lit up once he saw one of the movie selections. "Mr. Mom." Bob loud a loud cheer. "Perfect!" And he left with an enthusiastic grin.

As soon as he was around the corner, the brother looked at each other and burst into fits of laughter.

+++

The worker at Hawkins lab only had an hour left to go on his shift. In his spell of boredom, he had brought along his Walkman and was blaring one of his favorite songs as he bounded the rubber ball against the wall. He would bounce and catch. Bounce and catch. Bounce and then catch. Until, he noticed the light dancing off the wall he had been so focused on.

He turned around in his chair and felt his heart start pounding rapidly. The control panel he was supposed to be keeping an eye on was lighting flashing rapidly. He ripped his headphones of his head and it was only then that he heard the blaring of alarms around the building.

Something, he didn't know what yet, had gotten loose.

+++

It was nearly two A.M and the Byers house was dead silent. The only sounds that could be heard was the soft hum of the clock's gears as the seconds hand made laps around the clock and the soft rhythmic plink of the leaky faucet.

Will Byers awoke, lazily pulling himself out of bed and walking down the hallway, his feet patting across the floor to the bathroom.

The sound of the toilet flushing was slowly waking him up, but he was still plagued with drowsiness as he turned on the faucet and sleepily wash his hands.

Suddenly, he froze when he thought he heard the sound of low rumbling in the distance. Warily, he crept towards the bathroom door and opened it, surprised to see red flashing through the glass window on the front door. Deep violets and reds flashed across the living room accompanied by the sound of he could only guess to be thunder.

He fearfully crept towards the front door. He came to a stop when he heard the dreadful sound of wood creaking and he watched in horror as the front door slowly sung open to reveal a reddish purple sky, and the violent winds were carrying leaves and other debris with it. Something strange was growing around the outside of the house and he felt the familiar sensation returning.

His felt his blood run cold and his skin shriveled up and goosebumps broke out all over. His breathing inked up and he could feel the hair on the back of his neck stand up as he watched frozen in terror.

Suddenly, his body was moving without his permission, and his legs carried him through the front door and out onto his front lawn. His hair and clothes were swept up in the wind and he came to a halt when he saw the horrors in front of him.

The sky was a violent whirlwind of black clouds and red lightning bolts shooting from the sky like daggers with thunderous booms. The clouds swirled together like a violent whirlpool in the sky and with every flash of lighting, the blood red sky was illuminating a dark towering figure in the sky.

It stood hundreds of feet tall and looked over the fields in the distance. It almost resembled a a spider only it it wall limbs. It's head was a large crescent arch and as Will stared on in terror it slowly turned its head and even though it had no facial features, Will knew it was looking right at him.

The Shadow Monster.

+++

Hopper pulls his car to a stop. He always hated the drive out here. He preferred his grandfathers cabin to his run down trailer by the lake, but driving in the woods at night was not something he liked doing. Regardless, he parked in the same spot he always did and put the car in park. He trapped his hat, and placed it on his head and stepped out of the car. He could feel the mud shift below his boots as he walked along the forest floor. Without even having to glance at the ground, his foot raised itself to step over the trip wire that was rigged around the area. He walked,up the porch steps and pulled open the screen door.

It took him less than a second to remember the rhythmic knock he had come up with and began knocking on the door.

Two quick knocks. Pause. Knock. Pause. Knock knock knock.

As usual, there a beat of silence and then the sound of the locks coming undone.

The man turned the door knob and stepped inside, he was greeted by the sounds of the TV and an otherwise empty room. He glanced over to see spare bedroom door was cracked, soft yellow light spilling out from the the cracked doorway.

He closed the front door behind him and hung his hat and coat on the coatrack. He then made his way over to the small television and switched it off. He walked across the room to the kitchen, unbuckling his holster from his belt and setting it down on the counter and then retrieved a can of beer from the fridge.

He lazily trudged over to the kitchen table and frowned at the plate of a single, half eaten Ego that stood out against the trays of microwaveable dinner that were placed before each chair.

"Hey, what'd we talk about?" He softly called.

He pulled the yellow chair out and took a seat in his normal spot, anxious to eat after a long day.

"No signal," a young female voice carried across the cabin from the other room.

He sat down, a frown on his face.

"What?"

"No signal. It's 8-1-5. You're late." The voice scolded.

He took a deep breath, hoping she wasn't too upset with him.

"Yeah, I lost track of time. I'll signal next time, all right?" He looked up as he heard the sound of the bedroom door opening and the small petter of feet. He looked up as he saw the girl come into view and sit down across from him. "Uh, and it's 8:15. It's not 8-1-5.

Eleven wore a baggy grey sweatshirt and a pair of overalls. Her hair was longer now. It was still short, but it had length. It was mop of curly brown hair. She looked at Hopper and repeated slowly.

"Eight-fifteen."

Hopper rolled up his sleeves so as to not dirty his uniform with dinner. He looked at the girl with a soft yet stern look. "Now, what did we talk about? Dinner first, then dessert. Always. That's a rule,"

He leaned forward, and half smiled. "Yeah?"

"Yes," she replied.

They shared a smile and got started on their dinner, silently enjoying each other's company.


	6. Trick or Treat, Freak - P1

||3rd Person POV||

The smell of french toast wafted through the cabin as it sizzled on the frying pan. Hopper glances over his shoulder to see a small figure standing stiff with a white sheet draped over it and two eye holes cut out. The unexpected sight had startled the man.

"Oh, Jesus!"

"Ghost." El stated from under the sheet.

"Yeah, I see that." He said.

Hopper brought the frying pan of french toast over to the counter to serve.

"Halloween."

"Sure is. But now, it's breakfast, okay? Come on, let's eat."

"They wouldn't see me." She said softly, grabbing the man's attention as he brought the food to the table.

"Who wouldn't see you?"

"The bad men."

"What are you talking about?" He said, taking a seat.

"Trick or treat."

He turned to look at her. "You want to go trick-or-treating?"

She stood in silence, confirming his fears.

He frowned and stood up. "You know the rules."

"Yes, but-"

"Yeah, so you know the answer." Hopper softly grabbed her by the shoulders and guided her backwards as he spoke.

"No, but they wouldn't see me." El protested.

"No. Hey. I don't care."

"But they wouldn't see me."

"I don't care, alright?" His voice rose slightly as he bent down to her level. "You go out there, ghost or not, it's a risk. We don't take risks. All right? They're stupid, and..."

"We're not stupid!" She growled.

"Exactly."

"Now, you take that off, sit down and eat. You're food's getting cold."

With a pout on her face, El ripped the sheet off her head, letting it fall to the ground. She let her small body collapse in the chair across from Hopper and she stared at the floor sadly.

Hopper noticed the longing in El, and he felt the remorse and guilt creeping in. He finished pouring syrup on both of their plates and sighed, head leaning against his palm as he rubbed his face.

"All right, look... how about I get off early tonight, and I buy us a bunch of candy, and we can sit around and get fat, and we watch a scary movie together."

"How's that for a compromise?"

The young girl gave him a puzzled look and the foreign word.

"Co-Compromise?"

"C-O-M-promise. Compromise. How about that's your word for the day? Yeah? It's something that's in-between. It's like halfway happy."

"By, 5-1-5?" She asked hopefully.

He nodded his head. "5:15. Yeah, sure."

She looked down at her lap and then back at him. "Promise?"

He leaned forward, looking her in the eye and nodding his head firmly. "Yes. I promise.

She lightly shrugged her shoulders. "Halfway happy."

She grabbed her fork and began eating. Hopper smiled at her softly and leaned forward and ruffled her curly hair, bringing out a light chuckle from El.

The two fell into a comfortable silence for the rest of the morning. El tried desperately to enjoy the company while it lasted, knowing in just a few short hours she would be left alone with her thoughts once more.

+++

"Will? Come on, honey, up and at 'em." Joyce Byers stops at the end of the hall and she can feel her stomach plunge as she see finds her youngest son's room empty.

"Will?"

The dreaded sense of dejavu creeps in and she rushes to the end of the hall where Jonathan is making breakfast.

"Jonathan?"

"Yeah?"

"Where's Will?"

"What?"

"Where's Will?"

"He's not in his room?"

"No."

Suddenly there was a small clank that came from the bathroom.

Joyce rushed to the door in a panic, her heart pounding. She threw the door open to find Will standing in front of an open toilet.

"Will?"

"What are you doing?" Her voice came out in a shaky matter as she tried to calm her racing heart.

Will stood there in confusion and he gestured to the toilet. "Peeing?"

"Okay." She breathed out a chuckle and a sigh of relief as she left and closed the door behind her, hearing the sound of the toilet flushing.

***

"Okay..." Joyce had just helped Will into his Ghostbusters jumpsuit.

She reached for the homemade proton pack that rested on his bed, and helped the device onto his back. "Let's get this...on."

"Oh! You need some tape. Hold on." She let go of the loose wire that hung lazily from his pack and walked quickly towards his desk.

Grabbing a piece of tape, she couldn't help but notice a drawing that stuck out to her. It was barely peeking out from under piles of other drawings but she grabbed in and fears began returning.

It was unlike the others. It was extremely detailed, and black white which she noted he almost never did. The landscape was familiar, but she couldn't quite put a finger on it. The most unsettling part of course, was the large looming figure that took center stage. It reminded her of spider the way it stood and everything in it's path was shadowed, although she could tell, it wasn't from the swarm of thunder clouds but the monster itself.

It chilled her. She turned to Will. "What's this?"

Will seemed taken aback, but he quickly recovered.

"Nothing." He started to shift on his feet.

"Did you have another episode?"

"No, it's just, um... a sketch for a story I'm writing."

Joyce sighed, discarding the drawing wanting so badly for that to be true, so did believed it.

+++

"Three, two, one..."

"Great. Hold up the photo blaster."

Jonathan snapped another picture of his brother, Will gleaming in his suit as Jonathan continued to instruct him. Their mother was watching giddily as she smiled at her youngest son. The question she'd been dying to ask on the tip of her tongue.

"All right, now turn to light."

Will did just that, aiming his proton blaster towards a spot on the wall across the room.

"So," Joyce drawled. "[Y/N]'s coming over tonight before hand so we can grab some pictures of you two, right?"

Will felt a blush creep up.

"Mom," Will protested, his smile betraying him.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she threw her hands up in surrender but persisted in asking more questions. "So, she is going as...?"

"Janine," Will mumbled, as Jonathan snapped another picture.

"Right, right..." Joyce winced. "And she is...?"

"The receptionist and confidant-"

"Spengler's girlfriend..." Jonathan answered, the mischievous grin of an older brother plastered on his face.

Will felt a blush creep all the way up from his neck, Jonathan took this opportunity to "accidentally" get a picture of his flustered younger brother.

"Jonathan!" Laughed Will.

"What? It's so obvious, and hey, you guys are the ones who chose the costumes."

"It's a coincidence..." He mumbled.

Jonathan and Joyce smirked as Will tried to regain his composure, acting as if the exchange hadn't completely flustered him.

Which it did.

||Reader's POV||

"Oh! Let me see those pearls! Yeah! [Y/N], you almost ready?"

"Coming mom!"

I adjusted the big pair of glasses on my head and slipped on the red sweater vest, completing the outfit. On my way out of my room, I grabbed my first piece of gum out of my pocket stash and popping it in my mouth. The plaid shirt we found worked perfectly for Janine, I was so glad we were able to find everything in time.

I ran back out the hall and my mom greeted me with a squeal.

"Oh! You two look so good, get in there with your brother, honey."

We got a few nice pictures in, Dustin had his ghost trap, it it quite impressive, I must admit.

The last photo consisted of Dustin proudly holding up his ghost trap, while I chose to be in character. I had my back turned to him, my arms folded and in the middle of blowing a bubble as I casually roll my eyes.

***

"Na na na Na na Na"

We had just pulled into school on our bikes, and we all parked them on the bike rack. I silently counted myself lucky that I didn't have to lug a giant proton pack on my shoulders all day.

We all finished the anthem with "Who you gonna call?". It was then that I heard q familiar voice call "Ghostbusters!"

I turned around to see Will in his costume, it looked great.

"Hey, Spengler!"

"Egon! Looking sharp!" I beamed, greeting him with a quick hug.

"Janine! Venkman!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Mike frowned, gesturing to Lucas's name tag.

"What?" Lucas asked.

"Why are you Venkman?"

"Because I'm Venkman." Lucas shrugged.

"No, I'm Venkman."

"Why can't there just be two Venkmans?" Will asked, and I nodded looking to the boys.

"Because there's only one Venkman in real life. We planned this months ago." Mike snapped.

"Mike, calm down. It's alright,"

"I'm Venkman, Dustin's Stantz, Will is Egon, you're obviously Janine, and you're Winston." He finished, pointing at Lucas.

"I specifically didn't agree to Winston." Lucas said.

"Yes, you did!"

"I don't think he did." I said gently.

"No one wants to be Winston, man."

"What's wrong with Winston?"

"What's wrong with Winston? He joined the team super late, he's not funny, and he's not even a scientist!"

"Yeah, but he's still cool." Mike argued.

"If he's cool, then you be Winston."

"I can't!"

"Why not?"

Mike started to stutter, "Because..."

We all fell quiet as the argument got bad quickly.

"Because you're not black?" Lucas finished.

"I didn't say that!"

"You thought it."

I took a deep breath as they continued fighting. However, something clicked in my head as I looked around the school.

"Oh, no."

I nudged Dustin as I continued to look around, dread and regret creeping in.

Dustin looked to me and then around, realizing the same awful fact.

"Guys..." Dustin mumbled.

"Guys!" I finally snapped, grabbing their attention.

The other three fell silent and we all watched in horror as everyone got off the bus. In regular clothes.

"Why is no else wearing costumes?"

"Well, shit."


	7. Trick or Treat, Freak - P2

A//N: This chapter is slightly different cause I realized I'm a complete Doof™, and I had Max and reader meet twice. It had been so long since I wrote MADMAX, that I forgot they met in the arcade lol. So if you've read this before, the scene in the hallway is different.

||Reader's POV||

"Well, good new is, this is only slightly humiliating," I mumble.

I was doing the best I could to shrink back and be as hard to notice as possible, even though I know it's a lost cause.

Unfortunately, the boys all had the same thought and I had been slowly pushed front in center.

"Oh, my God," Someone laughed.

I did my best to let the side comments and laughter slide off my back.

"Maybe its's not so bad," I tried.

"That's easy for you to say [Y/N], you're not in a proton pack and jumpsuit." Lucas said.

I winced. He did have a point, their costumes are a bit more obvious than mine.

"When do people make these decisions?" Dustin said.

I heard Will speak up behind me. "Everyone dressed up last year."

"Yeah! I mean, who are they to judge, he went as Frankenstein's monster last year, and no one laughed despite that being super played out." My anger was getting the best of me, and I made direct eye contact and let my voice rise as I uttered those last words.

The boy I had targeted, covered his laughs with a cough and grew silent fairly quickly. At least I shut someone up.

"It's a conspiracy, I'm telling you."

"Just be cool" Mike encouraged.

I took a deep breath in, and that's when we all heard some prick speak out. "Who you gonna call? The nerds!"

I had a million things I wanted to say to that kid but nevertheless I took another deep breath in. That's wen I felt a hand grab my own, and I knew it was Will. I gave his hand a light squeeze as a silent thank you and kept walking.

+++

...three to the right, four to the left.

I mindlessly repeat the combination in my head as I've done a thousand times before at this school and my locker opens once again. I let it swing open and I sigh. I pull the fake glasses off my head and fold them, putting them on the small shelf in the locker space. I reach forward and grab my textbook and notebook after scanning for them. It's then that I barely make out my brother's voice.

"...so you probably don't have any friends to take you trick-or-treating,"

I frown and look over to find them just down the hall. Talking to Max. Or, attempting to at least. I continue to exchange my things and get ready for the next class. Although, I can't help but wince when I hear him continue.

"and you're scared of bullies, so we were thinking that it would be okay if you come with us."

My eyes widened slightly, and I took that as my cue.

"'It'd be okay'?"

My eyes widened slightly and I took that as my cue to jump in. I closed my locker and quickly reset the dial.

"Yeah. Our party's a democracy, and the majority voted that you could come."

I quickly made my way over, my things held tightly against my chest. I smiled and spoke up.

"Hey guys," I chirped. I made eye contact with Max and I chose my words carefully. "How are you guys?"

I ignored the frantic and slightly confused looks Dustin and Lucas were desperately trying to send my way.

Max smiled knowingly at me.

"I'm good." And I knew, just like me, she had a double meaning to that.

She turned back to the guys and plastered on a fake smile.

"I didn't realize it was such an honor to go trick-or-treating with you." I couldn't help but smirk at that.

"Yeah, I mean, we know where to get the full-sized candy bars. We figured you'd want in."

Her eyes squinted ever so slightly. "That's presumptuous of you."

I stood there awkwardly before I recalled that Max and I had our next class together.

Desperately wanting to change the subject, I smiled and turned to her. She was already closing her locker.

"Wanna head to class?"

"Sure thing." She smiled, and the two of us walked away, leaving the boys a gaping mess.

I felt kinda bad for the guys, but at the same time, I hadn't realized how nice, and refreshing it was to have another female friend for once.

||3rd person POV||

Max felt a looming sense of dread knowing it was time to go home. Which meant another painful care ride with him. She hated even being around him, he made her life a living hell. As she skated across the parking lot, she knew he was gonna threaten her in some way for being late. She didn't feel bad though, of course.

"You're late again."

"Yeah, I had to get catch-up homework." She mumbled, opening the passenger door and climbing in.

"Jesus. I don't care. You're late again, and you're skating home. Do you hear me?"

+++

Max sits quietly, wishing with all of her might that the car ride could just be over. 

Billy, her older step-brother blasts the song Wango Tango as he drives, wrecklously down the road. He scoffs.

"God, this place is such a shithole."

Max thinks of the [Y/N], the only girl who had actually been nice to her, despite her own short temper. Her only real friend since moving here.

"It's not that bad,"

He looks at her, and she knows - she knew as soon as she said something, anything, Billy would find away to use that against her. And sure enough.

"No?" He said, angrily.

She watched as he reached for the window mechanism and rolled down her window. He watched smugly as she winced at the smell and harsh wave of cold crisp air. He took a deep breath, and pulled his nose.

"You smell that, Max? That's actually shit. Cow shit."

"I don't see any cows." She said, matter-of-factly, reaching over and rolling up the windows.

"Clearly, you haven't met the high-school girls."

Max's head threw itself back at the headrest at the comment. She felt her anger boiling up, but she tried to keep it down.

"So what, you like it here now?" He snapped.

"No," she said defensively.

"Then why are you defending it?"

"I'm not."

Max knew he was getting angry again. He knew his pattern by now and she knew he was already up to no good. He loved to corner her.

"Sure sounds like it," He said calmly.

Max hated it when he got calm like this. It always meant he was going to snap. Go too far. Her heart began to pound. She shook her head, tying to regain her composure.

"It's just we're stuck here, so..."

"Hmm. You're right. We're stuck here," She felt his head turn and his eyes zero in on her. "and whose fault is that?"

His attention when back to the road. She couldn't help it, her anger was getting the best of her, and the answer came out in a weak whisper she prayed he didn't hear. But he did, and she knew   
he was going to do anything to make her pay.

"yours."

He looked at her, then back at the road but then back at her. "What'd you say?"

Max felt like she was shrinking. "Nothing," She mumbled, quickly.

Billy got calm again. Her heart began to beat faster once more. "Did you say it's my fault?"

"No," she said quickly.

"You know whose fault it is."

She stayed quiet. Max knew anything she said would it would piss him off. Her words failed her.

"Say it,"

Her eyes began to burn, but she refused to cry. He always made her feel weak and powerless and she knew she might not be able to do anything now, but she sure as hell wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of seeing her cry.

"Max..." He said lowly, drawing out her name. "Say it." He growled.

He whirled towards her in his seat, his face inches away from hers. His face was completely red as he screamed his throat raw. "Say it!"

She closed her eyes tried to ignore him. Even though she could feel his spit on her face, and his screams were loud enough to vibrate the car. She couldn't let him see how he got to her.

He returned to road, and reached for the volume dial, cranking it all the way up. His foot stomped on the gas and the car was suddenly going unnaturally fast. Billy threw his hands on wheel to every beat of the song.

She let him take it out on the car, grateful it wasn't her. But she knew there was nothing she could do to stop him anyway, right?

She was prepared to make it through the rest of the car ride, but her pounding heart stopped, her breath hitched and her eyes went wide when she saw four figures on their bikes in the middle of the road, not far up ahead.

"Billy, slow down." She said, quickly.

"Oh, these your new hick friends?" he asked, a scary gleam in his eye.

She quickly shook her head. "No! I don't know them."

"I guess you won't care if I hit 'em, then?"

Max knew Billy was crazy. He was out of his damn mind, but what terrified her most, was that she truly and honestly did not know if he was crazy enough to hit some kids with his car. She felt sick to her stomach, everything was going too fast and her heart began pounding faster and faster. 

"I get bonus points, I get 'em all in one go?" he asked excitedly.

The car was getting close and just like that, her fear was quickly replaced by anger and her adrenaline was pumping. She whirled herself around all the way to face her nasty scum of a step-brother and her voice was rising. "No, Billy, stop. It's not funny."

His body kept dancing, his head bobbing and hands drumming themselves against the steering wheel, but his head turned to her and his eyes were stone cold. He had no emotion in his face and it was enough to send a chill down her spine, but she knew now wasn't the time. He stomped on the gas pedal and the car roared.

Max wondered to herself why and how in the hell do these idiots not here this car and why the hell aren't they moving?!

She kept an eye on the road, the kids, the girl - [Y/N] - noticed the car coming first.

'Why the hell, aren't they moving?' she thought.

Max found her voice one more and screamed at the top her lungs. "Billy, come on, stop it. It's not funny. Stop!" The car got faster.

What she feared most was coming true. He snapped, and he might as well have been in trance cause he was laser focused, she was positive he hadn't even blinked, and she knew it didn't matter whether or not he had any intention of stopping. She couldn't afford to sit around and wait, they were only a few feet in front of them.

"Billy, stop it!"

With a racing heart, Max lunged forward, gripping the steering wheel and the car swerved to the left, just in the nick of time. 

Billy came to life and started shouting again. "Yeah! That was a close one, huh?"

He let out a wild and crazed laugh, and Max whipped around in her seat, peering out the back to see her classmates emerging form the leaves on the side of the road. She was unable to get a good look, the car was over the hill within seconds and they were out of sight. But she breathed a sigh of relief knowing they were alive.


	8. Trick or Treat, Freak - P3 - FINAL

There was a slight hiccup in plans, so I was unable to go over to wills house before hand for trick-or-treating, but thankfully everything was back on track. I ended meeting at mikes house with Dustin and by the looks of it, we had gotten there just in time. Jonathan pulled up and we all waited anxiously for them. The boys started hitting each other with their empty pillow cases and I laughed. Movement up ahead caught my eye and i smiled when I saw will heading our way

"Hey, Egon!"

We all caught up quickly before, planning our route.

"So, Jonathan's not coming?" I asked, knowing that was originally the plan.

Will smiled and told us Jonathan was cool enough to let us go alone, as long as he was back by 9. I smiled at him and linked our arms, as I goofily marched on down the street.

"Tonight we feast, fellas!"

+++

We'd been out for about an hour now, and will had turned on the video camera he brought.

We all waited patiently at the front door, Dustin and Lucas fought over who got to ring the bell. Soon enough a nice lady answered the door.

"Trick or treat!"

"Oh!" She beamed, reaching for the candy bowl. "Well, aren't you cute? The little exterminators." We all tried to hide our disappointment and the unexpected statement, when the lady turned to me.

"And who are you, young lady?" I forced a weak and awkward smile, and I felt the camera pan over to me, I could see Will snickering at the comment.

"Uh," I looked around, and finally shrugged. "It doesn't matter, thank you!" I trailed off, taking the candy. 

The door had closed behind us and the boys did not miss the opportunity to laugh. "Well, at least I'm not an exterminator!" I retort with a laugh.

Lucas began rummaging through his pillow case and sighed. "If I get another 3 Musketeers, I'm gonna kill myself."

"What's wrong with 3 Musketeers?" Dustin asked.

"'What's wrong with 3 Musketeers'?"

"No one likes 3 Musketeers." Mike argued.

"Yeah, it's just nougat?." Will said.

"Uh oh, here we go." I thought.

Dustin was quick to the defense. "Whoa, 'just nougat'? Just nougat? It is top three for me."

"Top three?"

"Top three!"

"Oh God, Give me a break." Mike whined.

"Seriously, I can just eat a whole bowl of nougat. Straight up."

"That's cause you're weird, Dustin." I laughed, as he stuck his tongue out at me.

I had fallen into the head of the group and just as I turned around I was surprised to say the least when I saw a Michael Myers Mask inches from my face, the figure was in all black and swinging a machete.

In my fight or flight response, I screamed, and threw my arms out and pushed the figure away as backed up.

The figure had been laughing, by winced and it's hands flew to to it's arm, holding it and wincing. "Ow, what the hell?"

The voice sounded familiar and with it's free hand, pulled the mask back and we all relaxed when we saw it was Max.

She shook her arm out and frowned, seeming confused, but she looked back at us and laughed.

"Holy shit! You should have seen the look on your faces. Also, your hands are, are like burning up, you might have a fever or something, cause like, what the hell was that. And you?" She pointed at Lucas. "Who screams like that? You sound like a little girl." 

She laughed and continued walking. I looked down at my hands and saw that they were still pretty red. I frowned as I looked at my hands, and rolled up my hands and touched m arm, wincing at how hot it was.

Lately, I've been noticing that it's been getting... worse. More frequent, to be specific. It's getting harder to control, like when I'm caught off guard like this, it's like a reflex and I can't control it. I don't know what's wrong with me, or how this is possible, or even how in the hell I got these abilities, but i can't help but feel more.... isolated. I-

"[Y/N]?"

I looked, up, realizing everyone was heading for the next house, except for Will. He lowered the camera a little.

"Are you okay?" 

I smiled weakly and shook my head. "Yeah, I'm fine." I wanted to tell him my concerns, but the tape was going so I opted not to. "Let's go, we better catch up."

I straightened my head and kept on walking.

+++ 

Some time had passed, and we had stopped by a few houses at Loch Nora. And Max was right, there were a ton of full sized candy bars.

"Another full-size. Like, seriously, rich people are such suckers." Dustin laughed, but then he grew quiet. "Wait, you're not rich, right?"

"No, I live up Old Cherry Road."

"Oh,"

"No, it's fine. I mean, the street's good for skating."

"Mmm, yeah. Totally tubular." Max raised her eyebrows and laughed at Dustin's comment.

"What? Did I say that right? Or is it, like, tubular."

Lucas and Dustin started doing their impression of a surfer, which made Max and I laugh. "Stop, my ears are actually hurting."

I had started to fall behind so I could walk with Mike and Will.

"You okay, Mike? You've been quiet."

He looked between Will and I, Will was now aiming the camera at us.

"Did you agree to this?" 

"What?" Will asked.

"What do you mean?"

Will lowered the camera. 

Mike glared at Max. "To her joining our party."

"It's just for Halloween." Will offered.

"You should have checked with me." He snapped.

I frowned. "Mike, what is your problem?" I asked, annoyed by his sudden behavior.

"She is! She's my problem. She's ruining the best night of the year." With that he stormed off.

"Mike," I called after him, quickly walking to catch up with him. "Mike, we should at last talk about this, Mike-!"

I heard a clatter from where we came from and my instinctively whipped around. I noticed Will wasn't with us.

"Will?" I called out, my heart starting to pound.

I ran back around the corner, and I could hear Mike following me.

I wanted to kick myself for not getting there in time, a bunch of a-hole teenagers were harassing him. Will was laying on his back, looking taken aback and his camera was on the ground with him. But all I could focus on were those bullies who were laughing and pointing at him as they walked away.

I ran after them. "Hey, piss off! You leave him alone, you hear me? Mind your own fucking business, a-holes!"

They just laughed and sneered as they kept on walking. I took a sharp and deep breath, and turned around. I heard Will calling my name, he was frightened.

"Will, are you okay-?"

"[Y/N]! Mike!"

I felt my stomach drop when I saw him. He was pale as a ghost and staring up at the sky. Before I could say or do anything, he turned ran behind some houses.

"Will!" I ran after him and I could hear Mike behind me. 

"What's going on?"

"He must be having another episode. Some assholes cornered him and now he's having an attack. Come on!"

I heard other footsteps join us and I assumed the others overheard and ran after us.

I saw Will stop suddenly and dive behind a ledge. "Will!"

I came around to halt, and saw more frightened than I'd seen him in a while. He was clutching his legs as they were tucked far into his chest, he rocked back and forth, his eyes closed and his breathing heavy."

My heart ached to see him like this. As quickly as my body could register, I reached out to him and put a hand on his shoulder. He jumped when he saw me.

"Will, it's me. It's okay, it's over. It's just me. What happened."

His eyes ere wide and frantic, he was looking around, still in shock.

"Will, I need you to breathe, okay?" He was shaking pretty heavily but he looked at me and nodded, taking deep breathes.

"Holy shit!"

"Is he okay?'

The others had caught up to us. 

"I-I don't know."

Mike knelled down and I moved over so they could talk.

"Will are you hurt? Are you okay?"

"I'm gonna get you home, okay? I'm gonna get you home. Hold on."

I stood up and offered my hand, Mike did the same. Will grabbed our hands and shakily stood up, he still hadn't said a word.

I grabbed an arm and started soothing him. That was when Mike snapped at me. "I got him."

I just stood there in shocked silence.

Even Dustin seemed put off by his behavior. "Mike?"

"Keep trick-or-treating. I'm bored anyways." He had a weird venom in his voice, and my blood began to boil.

We all stared after them. I was very angry at Mike, but more than anything I as worried about Will, and I just wanted to make sure he was okay.

"What's wrong with him?"

I felt anger and sadness blending together and I stormed off. I wanted to run after Mike and give him a piece of my mind, but I knew that's not what Will needs right now. I stopped short when I saw Will's camera and candy bag. I sighed, all the anger leaving my body and all that was left was worry.

I walked over and knelled down, pickup the camera and checking it. Thankfully, it seemed to still be in good shape, nothing other than some scratches and a dent in the plastic but other than that it seemed fine. I sighed, and turned off the camera, having realized it was still on. I closed it up and knelled back down, picking up his pillow case full of candy. 

My mind was racing, and but it never seemed to leave Will. 

||3rd Person POV||

"It's like... It's like I'm stuck."

Mike and Will had made it back to Mike's house. Will was currently waiting for Jonathan to show up, and the two were hiding out in the basement. Just before they had gotten to the house, [Y/N] had caught up to them, returning Will's camera and candy. She checked in with Will and quietly slipped away, something the boys couldn't help but feel a little bad for, Mike specifically.

Will had calmed down enough and he trembled ever so slightly as he recalled the encounter.

"Like, like, stuck in the Upside Down?" Mike asked gently.

"No." Will sighed, trying to find the right words. "You know how on a View-Master, when it get's like..." Will struggled with the words and gesturing.

"Caught between two slides?"

"Yeah. Like that. Like, one side's our world, and the other... the other slide is the Upside Down."

Mike was quiet s tried to understand all that was being said, all the while Will continued. "And there was this noise coming from everywhere."

Mike noticed the look in Will's eye, it was distant like he wasn't there. "And then I saw something."

"The demogorgon?"

"No. It was like this huge shadow in the sky. Only, it was alive. and it was coming for me."

"Is this all real?" Mike asked gently. "Or is it like the doctors say, all in your head?"

"I don't know. Just..." Will looked to Mike desperately. "Just please don't tell the others, okay? Especially [Y/N]. I don't want her to worry, and... and I know she's got a lot of stuff to worry abut already. And the others, they... They won't understand."

Mike looked to his lap and nodded. "Eleven would."

Will recalled all the stories they would tell him about Eleven. This made Will perk up. "She would?"

"Yeah. She always did."

The boys grew silent and Mike smiled sadly. "Sometimes I feel like, I can still see her. Like she's still around, but she never is." he shook his head, sniffling ever so slightly. "I don't know. Sometimes I feel like I'm going crazy."

"Me, too."

Mike looked to his best friend and smiled weakly. "Hey, well, if we're both going crazy, then we'll go crazy together, right?"

Will chuckled lightly, and smiled at Mike. "Yeah. Crazy together."

+++

"[Y/N], are you sure you're okay, you see kinda not fine" Dustin called after his sister as she walked sadly into the house.

Her only reply was the front door slamming shut. Dustin sighed and was about to go after her when he heard a noise coming from behind him. He froze in place, and ever so slowly turned around. He stared at the metal trashcan as he heard the strange noise again. It was strange, high pitched growl.

"Mews," he called softly, not believing for a second i twas his mother's cat. "is that--"

The trash can moved suddenly with a loud echoing thud and Dustin gasped, dropping his bag of candy on the pavement. His heart was racing and he kept telling himself that there had to be reasonable explanation but for the life of him he could not think of one. Dustin slowly reached behind his back and pulled out his "proton blaster" and aimed it at the trash.

He slowly and cautiously stalked forward.

The high pitched growl echoed off in a metallic manner once more and the trash can shook.

He crept further. "Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit."

It chirped and growled. 

He stepped closer.

It growled again.

This is it, He thought, Now or never.

Dustin summoned every scrap of courage he could muster and let out his best battle cry as he ripped the lid off the trash can, and aiming his blaster at the bottom of the can.

He froze suddenly, staring at the strange sight before him.

"Holy sh-"


	9. The Pollywog - P1

||3rd Person POV||

With timid steps, Dustin crept into his living room, hoping not to draw any attention to himself or the creature he just captured. He closed the front door quietly and began making his way towards his bedroom. His heart leapt up to his throat when he heard the sound of his mother.

"Dusty!"

He froze in place and plastered on a smile, turning to his mother who came up anxiously to greet him home.

"Dusty, what happened? What was that?"

Dustin's mouth ran dry. How could she possibly know already? She couldn't, could she? Dustin tried his best to brush it off.

"W-hat? What, what was what?"

Mrs. Henderson frowned, tilting her head and gesturing down the hall.

"Your poor sister. She came in crying, and she won't answer me. Won't even say a word, now what happened tonight Dusty?"

"Oh, that, yeah, um, she uh..." he looked down at the homemade ghost box he had in his hands and felt anxiety creeping up. "Well you know, boy drama I guess,"

Dustin immediately felt a pang of guilt for that remark but he was beginning to panic. He could feel the creature begin to shift around in the box and he knew his mom would keep asking questions if he didn't cut straight to the chase.

"Well, what happened? Is there another girl?" She asked sadly.

"What?" Dustin asked dumbfounded. "No! Well, I mean, technically yes, but she has nothing to do with-"

"Did he reject her?"

"No! Mom!"

Dustin began shifting on his feet, getting increasingly more uncomfortable, and it was impossible to tell if it was from the conversation or the fact he was hiding a secret, unidentified species in the prop of his Halloween costume.

"Dusty? Are you okay? You're acting weird."

"I'm not acting weird!"

Without warning, the ghost box in his hand shook, making several audible thuds. Mrs. Henderson jumped back, letting out a small yelp in fear.

"Woah!" Dustin burst out into a fit of uncontrollable and nervous laughter as he looked from the trap to his mother.

Mews, who had been standing at Mrs. Henderson's feet, hissed harshly at the box.

"Awesome, right? Yeah... I-I rigged the trap with, uh, a motor to make it look like I caught a ghost. Just like the movie."

Mrs. Henderson let out a forced and nervous laugh. "Oh, Dusty."

"Yeah," He laughed forcibly, the trap begins to shake violently. "Funny. Look at that. Look at that."

Dustin seized the opportunity, and quickly left for his bedroom. Quietly, he tiptoed past his sisters room. He figured he could tell her when he told the others, given she clearly needed the space.

Closing his bedroom door and locking it behind him, he brought the trap close to his face.

"I told you to keep quiet." He hissed. "All you had to do was stay still for one minute. One minute."

He temporarily rested the trap on his bed, as he grabbed his turtle out from his tank and set him on the ground. "Sorry, Yertle. Temporary eviction, buddy."

He picked up the trap and opened it, dropping the small chittering creature into Yertle's tank. Dustin leaned down to get a better look, and marveled at it as it began moving about the tank, and immediately crawled under the log and into the shade.

"What are you, little guy? What were you doing in my trash?"

The small creature, slowly and cautiously stuck it's head out from under the protection of the shaded log, almost as if it was listing to Dustin.

Dustin's smile grew. "You hungry?"

Dumping the nights earnings of candy onto his bed, he didn't have to rifle through the pile long before spotting a Three Musketeers bar. He grabbed it and quickly unwrapped it.

Returning to the tank, he broke off two or three pieces of his favorite candy and proceeded to drop the bits of nougat into the tank. He watched, as he took his own bite from the candy bar, as the critter attempted to leave the log, only to retreat.

"Too hot?"

He reached for the heat lamp and turned it off. He looked to the critter,who looked visibly more relaxed.

"Sorry about that, little guy."

He eagerly crawled out from under the log and began nibbling on the small chunks of nougat, seeming very satisfied. Dustin smiled at this.

"You like nougat, too, huh?"

It looked to Dustin and gently hissed in response.

"You're pretty cute, you know that? I'm glad I found you."

Realizing he needed a name for the creature, he looked to the candy bar in his hands in thought.

'The Three Musketeers. And their trusted ally, D'Artagnan.' He thought.

He smiled knowingly.

"D'Artagnan. I'm gonna call you D'Artagnan."

+++

A few hours, and several pieces of candy bars later, Dustin had fallen asleep on his bed while reading 'Reptiles and Amphibians' in an attempt to out any information on d'Artagnan. Unbeknownst to the sleeping boy, only a few feet away from him, d'Artagnan had began to grow.

+++

[FLASHBACK]  
HAWKINS NOV. 1983

Hopper shivered against the harsh winter air. He kept telling himself he wasn't crazy for doing this. Leaving stashes of food and a few Eggos in a lockbox out in the woods on the off chance this girl was still alive.

But that police report of a dingy looking girl in the woods who "made that damn squirrel fly" could not have been a coincidence. And he remembered her taking a liking to Eggos and well, he didn't want her to starve. Or have to cook anymore squirrels by the sound of it... So he thought it was worth a try.

Eleven watched the man carefully. She recognized him from that night. He was the same man that saved her and her friends from the bad men. And here he was leaving her food. Right in front of her. But he was walking away. Her breathing increased and she knew she had to make a decision.

Take a chance on him and let herself be known, or continue to try and scrape by out in the woods. The more she thought about it the less it seemed like a choice. Before she knew it, her feet had carried her to the man. He had stopped just before he reached his truck when he heard her.

They both seemed equally shocked she was there, and they said nothing. He slowly took off his hat, showing her he wasn't a threat.

[END OF FLASHBACK]

"Rise and shine," Hopper called from the doorway.

El's eyes fluttered open and the memory of the night before came rushing back to her. Huffing, she turned on her side, her back facing Hopper.

"So that's it, huh? You're still not talking?"

El only glared at the wall in silent protest.

Hopper feigned a sigh. "All right. I guess I'm just gonna to have to, uh... enjoy this triple-decker Eggo extravaganza on my own."

El's eyes became as wide as saucers, and without turning her head she looked in the direction of the doorway, knowing she had already lost.

The pair sat at the table, Hopper happily digging into the stack of Eggos and whipped cream, making noises of approval.

"Mmm-mmm! Good, right?" He asked, wiping a bit of whipped cream off his face as he tried to pry a conversation out of El. "Know the great thing about it? It's only 8,000 calories."

El only stared at him. A mixture of not understanding, and not amused. Hoppers lips pressed into a firm line, realizing he had forgotten who he was talking to for a moment. As he cut another slice of the triple-decker Eggo extravaganza, he glanced around the room and spotted the TV cord leading all the way into El's room.

"You visited him again last night?"

Her eyes trailed from the cord to Hopper's gaze, and finally down at her lap, knowing she had been caught.

"He says he needs me."

"Want me to go check on him"

Not meeting his eye, El sadly shook her head.

"I know you miss him, all right? But it's too dangerous. You're the last thing he needs right now. You're gonna see him. Soon. And not just in that head of yours. You're gonna see him in real life. Y/N too. I feel like I'm making progress with these people."

Blinking, she leaned forward. "Friends don't lie."

"What?" He asked, taken by surprise.

"You say 'soon' on day 21. You say 'soon' on day 205. You now say 'soon' on day 326?" She demands, voice rising.

"What is this?" Hopper asks, quickly growing agitated. "You're counting down the days now like you're some kind of prisoner?"

"When is 'soon'?"

"'Soon' is when... it's not dangerous anymore."

"When?" She presses.

Hopper, who is visibly uncomfortable, and is fiddling with his pockets, continues to avoid eye contact. "I don't know."

"On day 500?"

"I don't know."

"On day 600?"

"I don't know." His own voice rising.

"On 700? On day 800?"

"No!"

"I need to see him! Tell me!"

"I said I--"

Before Hopper can finish, El throws his plate of Eggos on his lap with a single flick of her head.

"Oh! Shit! Shit!" He yells, standing up in surprise.

El stands up and glares at Hopper, fire in her eyes. "Friends. Don't. Lie!"

She marches into her room, throwing her arm behind her, and the door slams itself shut.

+++

That very same morning, on the first of November, the Byers household was in a scramble as they moved about the house, getting ready for the day.

"Jesus. Have you seen them?" Joyce asked.

Joyce had misplaced her keys, and she had been digging through the couch cushions while her sons searched the other rooms.

"We're looking, Mom." Jonathan reasoned, discarding the coat he had previously checked the pockets of.

Will walked by him, resting his mother's purse on the kitchen table, and began rifling through it.

"Yeah, we're... we're looking,"

"A-ha!" Cried a voice from down the hall. "Found em!" Chuckled Bob, triumphantly waving the keys.

Joyce sighed in great relief.

"Hiding under some jeans, sneaky little buggers."

"Thank you. Thank you. You're a life saver." Joyce pulled Bob close and gave him a quick kiss.

She pulled away, and began gathering her things from the kitchen table, and turned to Jonathan.

"Can you take Will to school today? I cannot be late again."

Jonathan quickly lowered his voice while his mother was still in close proximity.

"He's staying over now?"

She ignored his question, not wanting to discuss it while Bob was present, and lowered her voice to match his. "Can you just take Will, please?"

"I can take him," Bob shrugged.

"Will you make sure he gets in okay?" She asked timidly.

"Yeah, of course." He grinned. "What do you say, big guy? Wanna go for a ride in the Bobmobile?"

Will was taken aback and looked to his mother for confirmation, she only smiled at him.

He wasn't expecting Bob to offer to do that. It was a nice thing to do. And Will guessed it wouldn't it hurt.

After all, what the worst that could happen?

...Right?

||Reader's POV||

"I don't know mom, he just... he's been acting different. They all have" I sighed into my cereal bowl as I ate.

Well, to be fair, I was mostly just frowning at it.

"What do you mean, honey?" Mom asked, hands curled around her mug as she sat opposite from me.

I let out a frustrated sigh and looked around, it became hard to talk, a lump in my throat was forming.

"I just-" I sighed, composing myself, and selected my words carefully knowing I had to be cautious with what I told her. "All I want is for Will to be okay. And I'll do anything to respect that. But lately, I can't help but feel like I could really help him, and now that things are getting bad again, Mike is getting crazy grumpy and focusing all of his attention on Will and totally cutting me out, and Will is letting him."

I took a deep breath, swiping a tear away, and began to fiddle with my cereal bowl. My fingers absentmindedly fiddling with the rim of the bowl, and I could feel my mother's eyes on me.

"And, I know I must be coming off as totally selfish, and I feel bad but... I just want to help, and Mike isn't exactly a saint here. I know he's got... other things on his mind, stuff he's upset about, but he's taking it out on me and guarding Will and I'm just trying to help. I'll totally back off if Will needs me to, but Mike hasn't let Will get a word in edgewise. And others all are all too worked up over the new girl, I get it though, she's cool, but still,"

I let out a long exhale, feeling ten pounds lighter, but no better about Will or Mike.

"I don't hate Mike," I said. "I think it's good that if he's focused on anything it's Will, I just... I just wish..."

"He'd be your friend again, too?" My finished.

I bit my lip, blinking back tears, and I nod.

"Yeah, I do. I miss how everything used to be. Everyone got along, and all had the same interests. And Will wasn't having all these episodes..."

"I'm sorry honey. I know, it's such a hard time at your age, but you just have to hang on to the good moments. Everything will work itself out, I promise. What happened, with Will, anyway?" She asked, sipping her coffee.

"Well, I only left him for a moment, to chase after Mike, of course I thought he was right behind me but..." I trailed off, thinking of those horrid boys, and my jaw clenched. I stuttered as my brain searched for a foul name I call them in front of my mother. "Some... pricks practically jumped him. Scared him into an episode."

I could feel my anger building up. Just at the mere memory of the boys, it all came flooding back and I was feeling all the emotions from last night coming swarming back to me.

"Y/N," She lightly scolded.

"Well, they were! I could have called them a lot worse, too. This must have been his worst episode, I've never seen him this freaked out! He-"

I glanced down when I sensed movement in the bottom of my eye line and I saw my cereal... bubbling? Boiling. It was beginning to boil.

I jump up from where I was sitting, ripping my hands away from the ceramic bowl, startling my mother in the process.

"Y/N! What has gotten into you?"

'I wish I knew'

"Uhh, I'm running late. I just realized. Thanks for the talk, love you, bye," I said, already backing away and making my way down the hall.

I was only half lying, I was cutting it short on time. But I couldn't let my mom see whatever the hell I just did to my cereal.

I turned down the hall leapt over Mews with ease, who seemed unfazed by it.

Just as I reached my door, I nearly collided with Dustin. I came to a halt, and he jumped back, being extra careful to keep his backpack zipped up and out of sight.

He was hiding something. But then again so was I, and judging by the look in his eye he knew it too.

We didn't have to say anything, we both gave each other a look, knowing we would talk to each other about it later, and bid each other farewell.

"AV club? Lunch?" He asked, growing startled and adjusting his backpack once more.

I narrow my eyes and nod.

"Okay, well, see you at school then..." I say slowly.

He nods, just as suspicious, and we both parted ways.

I slip into my bedroom and get dressed for the day. As I did, my mind kept playing what had just happened in the kitchen, over and over again in my head.

And by the time I was out the door, it had wandered to the handful of times I had... used my powers.

'That is still so weird to think about'

I recalled the first time, when I blasted those agents who almost grabbed me. I felt my stomach drop, and I remembered why I hardly ever think about it. I can't, and don't ever want to imagine what would have happened if they had gotten to me.

And then shortly after, when... when he had El. And me. The first time my brother and the others saw me use my powers. Both times were unintentional. It just happens. I wish I could learn how to control it.

But there were other strange things too, like how I could heal. Really quickly. For a while there I thought I could do stuff with plants but... that turned out to be a dead end. I didn't mind though. It was quite a relief actually, I can barely handle the fact I have powers, something as wild as control plants. It must have had something to do with my healing abilities?

'Who the hell knows'

I felt crazier and crazier the more I thought about all of this.

But what happened this morning... It reminded me of what happened at the assembly for Will. I had gotten quite upset at Troy. Understandably. And I could have sworn I left a mark on the bleachers.

Heat seemed to be a common theme, and it began to make my head spin.

I had to take some sudden deep breaths to prevent my anxiety from creeping up again.

How had everything changed so much, so quickly?

||3rd Person POV||

The car ride to school was mostly silent. The only sounds were the occasional turn signals and soft music playing from the radio.

Bob decided to ease the tension, and broke the silence with simple conversation.

"So was that you I heard milling around last night, or was that a ghost?" He chuckled, indicating he wasn't mad, just genuinely curious.

"Yeah, me probably," Will said quietly.

"Another nightmare?" He asked gently.

"Um...no" Will answered, avoiding his gaze and looking out the window at the passing landscape.

Bob nodded.

He needed another approach. He really wanted at least one of his girlfriends kids to like him. He liked them, he knew they were good kids, just needed time to get to know them, that's all.

Bob sensed that there was more than Will was letting on, and he just wanted to help. So he did in the only way he knew how.

"Did I ever tell you about Mr. Baldo?"

"Mr. Baldo?" Will asked slowly, confused at the name.

Bob scoffed in agreement. "Yeah. I was a little younger than you. I was standing in line for the Ferris Wheel at the Roane County fair,"

As Bob told the story, Will became invested almost immediately, and shifted in his seat to face him.

"Mmm-hmm" he nodded.

"And suddenly, I feel this fat white glove tap me on the shoulder. I spin around and there he is. Mr. Baldo." Bob plastered on a fake smile, and began imitating the clown, his voice grating. "'Hey, kiddo, would you like a balloon?'"

Having come from Bob, Will didn't find the imitation so scary and responded with a chuckle.

Bob chuckled with him. "Go ahead, laugh. It's funny. It wasn't funny back then, I'll tell you that." His smile faltered. "I couldn't get him out of my head. Every night. He would come to me in my dreams. And every night when he came to me... I ran."

He sighed, recalling the memory.

"It got so bad that I made my mom stay in the room with me until I could fall asleep every night."

Will felt a giant pit form in his stomach. He almost felt like he could get sick to his stomach. He knew what Bob was talking about, all too well. But the awful part was, he didn't know if it was just a dream or not.

"Really?" Will mumbled, growing frightened.

"Really. It went on like that for months. And then one day, the nightmares suddenly stopped."

Will finally tore his away from the road, and gazed hopefully at Bob.

"Wanna know how?"

"How?" His voice was barely above a whisper.

"Well, I fell asleep, and just like always," he blinked several times, seeming unnerved by the memory. "Mr. Baldo came to me. Only this time, I didn't run. This time, I stood my ground"

Will listened, and couldn't help but think of the monster that had been plaguing him the last few nights.

"I just looked at Mr. Baldo, in his stupid face, and I said, 'Go away. Go away!' And just like that, he was gone. Never saw him again. Easy-peasy, right?"

The gears were turning in Will's brain. Hope in his eyes.

"Easy-peasy." Will agreed, nodding.

Bob Newby smiled, thrilled that he had gotten through to Will, believing with all his heart he had truly just helped the boy, knowing nothing of the horrific repercussions to come.


	10. The Pollywog - P2

Warnings: possible trigger warning for anxiety attacks. You know the drill (hopefully). If you would like to skip the small blurb I will indicate the start and end of it with these symbols [●●●]. Also, spelling and grammatical errors and typos galore. Have not edited yet.

||3rd Person POV||

"I still don't get why they call him zombie boy," Max asked Lucas, as they made their way to class. "I mean, I get it. He got lost in the woods for a week or something, but why is he a zombie? Because everyone thought he was dead?"

"Yeah, I mean, we had a funeral for him and everything." Lucas explained.

"After a week?" Max asked, dumbfounded.

Lucas knew this was coming.

"Well, see, some other kid drowned at the quarry. We thought it was Will because his body was super decomposed."

"What?" She stopped walking and gave Lucas a look, not buying the story. "Okay, that's not funny."

"It's not a joke, all right?" He sighed. "It's public knowledge. You can ask anybody. Except Will, because he is really sensitive about it. All right?" He stressed the last point.

Lucas liked Max, she was cool. And obviously no one was ever really allowed to know what happened during that week. But he also cared about his friend, and knew Will had enough going on, to have someone he didn't know asking all these questions, and bringing up what had happened.

Max saw the sincerity in Lucas's eyes, and her expression shifted to one of understanding.

And she did believe one thing. Whatever bullshit this kid was giving her, real or not, she knew from one look that he meant what he said about not bothering Will.

Her voice came out in a hoarse whisper, surprising even her.

"Okay,"

And without another word, the two carried on to class.

+++

Bob pulled up to the front of the school, and Will stepped out.

Bob, who had previously rolled the windows down, called out a farewell to him as he shut the car door.

"Have a good day, kiddo!"

Will gave a weak smile in thanks, and swung his backpack over his shoulders.

As Will walked across the schoolyard, his head down low, eyes darting everywhere in suspicion.

[●●●]

It felt like everyone was watching him. Judging him.

Zombie Boy.

He felt an unpleasant, dark presence creep up from his spine, and settle on his chest, and stomach.

'Was this how Y/n always felt during her anxiety attacks?'

He suddenly felt worse.

He knew he had unintentionally been avoiding her, but in all honesty, he was worried of letting her in. Besides, he hardly had time to sleep or think clearly since these episodes had been happening.

Will thought he felt more pairs of eyes on him and it made him feel like more of a freak. Every look, every glace put more weight on his shoulders.

[●●●]

"The case of Phineas Gage is one of the great medical curiosities of all time."

More kids stared. Will caught their eye by accident, and quickly ripped his eyes away.

"Phineas was a railroad worker in 1848 who had a nightmarish accident. A large iron rod was driven completely through his head,"

Will hoped, Will prayed they would just leave him alone. He was still on edge from last night. And he couldn't help but think, anyone who looked at him funny wouldn't be above trying the same stunt on him. And as he realized this thought, he couldn't help but wonder if he would ever be the same again.

||Reader's POV||

"Phineas miraculously survived. He seemed fine," Mr. Clark drew a line through the skull on the projector as he spoke, I hung off his every word.

"And physically, yes, he was. But his injury resulted in a complete change to his personality."

My face fell as I couldn't help but see the similarities in Will. And I stole a few glances at Will, as Mr. Clarke kept talking. However, I suddenly got the sense I was being watched.

"So much so, that friends that knew him started referring to him as 'No Longer Gage'"

Confused, I twisted around in my seat to see Max, who quickly looked away.

Trying go shake it off, I turned back to the front, a confused look on my face.

"At the time this was known as the American Crowbar Case. Although it wasn't a--"

The door swung open, hitting the wall and making a loud noise and I jumped a bit in my seat.

Much to my surprise, and relief it was Dustin. And he was panting heavily.

"I am so sorry, Mr. Clark," He came in, and took his normal seat in front of Will. "Really, I'm so sorry. Please continue with the class. Don't mind me. Really, continue, please. Thanks."

Mr. Clarke had given him a stern look before continuing. "Although it wasn't a crowbar, it was a rod, as I said."

I kept glancing over at Dustin worriedly, having not known where'd he'd been since I saw him this morning.

I saw him lean in and whisper to the others. Something I barely overheard.

"We a have to meet. All of us. At lunch, AV club"

"Why?" I'm pretty sure it was Mike.

"I have something you won't believe,"

Just then, Dustin turned around, giving me a look as of making sure I got that. I nodded, then he turned and he looked past me and repeated?

I gave him a weird look and turned around to see Max again.

"Dustin!" Mr. Clarke caught him.

Well, not really any surprise there I guess, Dustin may as well have been shouting. He quickly turned around in his seat, looking up innocently at Mr. Clarke.

"Yes, my lord?"

"Would you care to join the class now?" He asked, in a tone we normally hear him using on a selection of other students.

"Please, yes." My brother said eagerly, reaching down into his backpack for his notebook and pencil.

"Case of Phineas Gage,"

"Phineas Gage," he repeated, in acknowledgment.

"Page 104,"

"104, 104."

"Focus,"

"Focusing, focusing,"

When Dustin had his backpack open, I happened to notice the large black coils poking out and I leaned forward slightly, trying to get a better look.

'Was that...? His ghost trap?'

He casted one last glance over to Max and whispered, much softer this time, "AV club."

And then I saw him give her a big grin and a thumbs up.

"And he began to curse," Mr. Clarke continued. "using terrible words, that I don't dare repeat here"

My mind started to wander.

Like, why was Max looking at us like that, like she knew something? Or why was she invited to the AV club meeting? Not that I don't want to hang out with her, but I got the feeling it had something to do with... everything that happened last year. Especially considering I was planning on telling them about my little incident this morning.

'Guess that'll have to wait.'


	11. The Pollywog - P3

A/n: Another long chapter ahead, featuring a callback to book 1! I really tried my best, but it is SO hard to write that scene (the one where hopper brings El to the cabin) without it sounding totally creepy.

Warnings: not edited. So enjoy so many spelling, grammar and any other errors that you can think of.

||3rd Person POV||

El laid still and unmoving on her bed, where she had been since her fight with Hopper. He had left hours ago and she had been left alone with her thoughts once more.

She gazed at her reflection in the TV set that was still in her room from the other day. She sat up, thinking. She wasn't in the mood to watch TV, again. But maybe she could look for Mike again?

Her eyes glazed over the bed frame and they spotted the blindfold, and she quickly tied it over her eyes. It wasn't until then that she realized it wasn't 3:15, he would still be in school.

El sighed, taking off the blindfold in defeat. Hopper's words from earlier popped into her head.

"You're gonna see him. Soon. And not just in that head of yours. You're gonna see him in real life."

So El decided would. She got up, grabbing one of the warmest pieces of clothing she could find. She ended up putting on an old flannel that Hopper had washed and given to her.

With timid steps, she crept out of her room and slowly towards the front door. She knew she wanted to this, she had been dreaming about doing this for months, but suddenly it all became very real to her.

She faced the many locks on the front door. They were there for her protection, of course, not for keeping her in. She recalled the day she had been brought to live at the cabin.

[FLASHBACK]

Hopper swung the old door open, and before stepping inside, began kicking the doorframe with each foot, shaking off all the snow. He stepped inside and discarded his jacket, while Eleven, repeated his actions by kicking the snow off her shoes.

She began looking around at the dusty and cluttered cabin. She could see the beams of light streaming in from the dust that littered the air.

"My granddad used to live here, long time ago." Hopper shut the front door, preventing any more cold air getting in, and discarded his hat. "I mainly just use it for storage now,"

El listened as she walked slowly through the cabin, trying to take it all in.

There were boxes everywhere, and cloth covered all the windows so it made the cabin quite dark. There were cobwebs everywhere.

Hopper walked across the room and picked up one of the old boxes, and moved it. "Lot of history here,"

Sighing, he put his hands on his hips, and shrugged.

"So, uh... what do you think?" He asked. "It's a work-in-progress. You know, it's, uh... it takes a little imagination, but uh... once we fix it up, it's gonna be nice. Real nice."

There was a small pause.

"This is your new home," he confirmed.

Hopper smiled kindly at Eleven and she looked at him, a new sense of hope blossoming in her chest.

"Home," she answered.

+++

Hopper quickly rifled through the box of old records he had stumbled upon, until he finally found one that caught his eye and painted a grin on his face.

It was Jim Croce's "You Don't Mess Around With Jim"

He pulled it from the selection and showed it to Eleven, who had found a place to sit.

"All right, this," he pulled the record from its sleeve and put it on the record player. "this is music,"

Eleven looked at him skeptically, not knowing what to expect. Hopper put the needle on the on the record and the rhythmic sound of bass and drums began to play, Hopper snapped his fingers in tune with the music.

Eleven watched in stunned silence as the usually grumpy man began to bounce around with a large toothy grin.

"Uptown got its hustlers  
The Bowery got its bums"

Eleven's brows furrowed softly as she watched the man continued to bounce. His face was scrunched up now and he began to sway his body, something that confused Eleven even more.

"42nd Street got Big Jim Walker"

"All right,"

Hopper suddenly clapped his hands together and spoke, seemingly returning to normal.

"Let's get to work,"

"He's a pool-shootin' son of a gun  
Yeah, he's big and dumb  
As a man can come"

Eleven ripped the old cloth off the small bed, unintentionally whipping a thick cloud of dust in her face. She was sent into a coughing fit.

"But he's stronger than a country hoss"

Eleven was trying to sweep while Hopper cleared out the boxes. Having never used a broom before, she was attempting to sweep by pushing the broom forward, and in turn wasn't making much progress.

"But he's stronger than a country hoss"

Hopper ripped the old and tattered pieces of cloth off one of the windows, soft morning light spilled into the room.

"And when the bad folks  
All get together at night"

Hopper glanced over in Eleven's direction and noticed her attempts at sweeping. He gently pulled her aside and asked for the broom.

"You know they all call big Jim 'boss'  
Just because"

Hopper pulled the broom back in swift motions, showing Eleven through demonstration. She watched carefully.

"And they say  
You don't tug on Superman's cape"

Hopper was knelt down on by the front door, as he screwed in various locks to the front door as an added precaution.

"You don't spit into the wind"

Eleven had now grabbed the broom from Hoppers hands, getting the idea. She began sweeping, just as he had and Hopper returned to the boxes.

"You don't pull the mask  
Off that old Lone Ranger"

El plopped down on the bed she previously been cleaning, bouncing up and down as tested the mattress. She looked to the tiny red lamp they had found and plugged in and began to feel more at home already.

"And you don't mess around with Jim"

Hopper had set up the old CB radio he had found, and was teaching Eleven morse code. This was how he would contact her from outside the cabin, and she would always have a guide to look at for reference.

"Well, outta South Alabama  
Come a country boy  
He said I'm lookin' for a man named Jim"

Hopper was now stocking the kitchen with groceries and kitchen supplies. Eleven had found an old jigsaw puzzle, and she happily got to work. It reminded her of Y/n, who had left Eleven some of her puzzles to play with while her and the boys were at school.

"I am a pool-shootin' boy  
My name is Willie McCoy"

Hopper casted a glance over his shoulder and saw how invested she was in the puzzle, and how much more relaxed she had become since they had arrived and he felt himself relax as well. He smiled to himself as he pulled the box of Eggos from the grocery bag and put them away in the kitchen.

"But down home they call me Slim"

Eleven repeated the sequence that Hopper had beeped in the CB radio, and he smiled at her. She smiled in return, knowing she had successfully translated the sequence.

"Yeah, I'm lookin' for  
The king of 42nd Street"

Eleven looked up from her puzzle, to see Hopper carrying in what she recognized to be a TV set and she watched hopefully as he set up.

"He drivin' a drop top Cadillac  
Last week, he took all my money  
And it may sound funny"

At night, Hopper had gathered some old mousetraps, and made several adjustments to them.

"But I came to get my money back  
And everybody say,  
Jack, don't you know"

He knew he needed to take precautions to intruders or any possible threats. He needed an alarm system.

"You don't tug on Superman's cape  
You don't spit into the wind"

He attached bullet shells to each trap. Blowing away the piles of sawdust as he worked under the lamp light at the kitchen table.

"You don't pull the mask  
Off that old Lone Ranger"

He wound up the spool of wire around another nail in one of the many trees surrounding the cabin.

"And you don't mess around with Slim"

Eleven trailed curiously behind him as he carried the unwinding spool with him. Finally he reached the tree with the mousetrap and softly took a seat on the ground, Eleven knelt down beside him.

Eleven was in charge of holding the wire cutters and he gestured for them, grabbing them and cutting the wire. She watched as he grabbed the end and rigged it into the mousetrap as he talked.

"Now, this is called a trip wire. It's like an alarm. You, uh, set it up like this. And then, anybody gets close, it's gonna make a loud noise like, uh, gunfire."

"Bang!" He said, and Eleven jumped back softly, causing him to chuckle.

He run a hand over his face and he looked at her, growing serious.

"Those bad men aren't gonna find ya. All right? Not way the hell out here. We'll take some precautions. There's gonna be a couple ground rules."

[END OF FLASHBACK]

El recalled Hopper going over the ground rules with her. She could hear him still in her head. But she didn't care. She needed to see Mike.

She walked in front of the draped windows.

"Rule number one: always keep the curtains drawn."

El ripped the drapes aside, and pulled on the blinds, sending them straight up, sunlight pooled into the cabin.

"Rule number two: only open the door if you hear my secret knock."

Every lock on the door came undone with a series of clicks and El opened the door.

"And rule number three: don't ever go out alone, especially not in the daylight."

Her heart pounding, El stepped outside, into the fresh morning sun, and relished in the crisp autumn breeze. She quickly scanned the area, when her eyes found nothing but open space and an empty forest she knew it was safe.

She heard Hopper's voice once more in her head, and she casted one last glance at the cabin in hesitation.

"That's it. Three rules. I call 'em the, Don't Be Stupid Rules. Cause we're not stupid. Right?"

As El got further and further away, she could feel her heart hammering in her chest, increasing with every step. She stopped suddenly. Not in fear, nor had she changed her mind. But the tripwire. It was right where she remembered it. She glared at it defiantly.

"Not stupid."

She stepped over the tripwire and marched on.

||Reader's POV||

Dustin's trap swung open and we all leaned in to get a better look. My eyes bulged when I caught a glimpse at the slimy creature writhing around inside.

"His name is d'Artagnan." Dustin cooed, beaming at the gross slime ball.

I watched carefully as he took d'Artagnan from the trap and picked him up, still smiling warmly at him.

"Cute, right?"

"Uhh..." I trail off.

Dustin just rolls his eyes at me, and I hear Will give a weak chuckle.

"d'Artagnan?" Mike asks, ignoring our bickering.

"Dart for short."

"And he was in your trash?" Max asked, clarifying.

"Foraging for food."

"Awesome," I mumble sarcastically, less than enthusiastic at the thought that thing was crawling around outside my house.

"You wanna hold him?" He asked hopefully at Max.

She quickly shook her head several times. "No, no"

"He doesn't bite," Dustin insisted.

"I don't want to--" Before she could finish, Dustin had thrust Dart into her hands, giving her no choice but to hold him and she cringed.

"Oh, God, he's slimy!" She panicked, and handed him to the closest person who happened to be Lucas.

He recoiled in disgust when Dart jumped into his hands.

"Ugh, he's like a living booger!" He was then passed to Will who gagged.

"Ugh, oh, God" I saw the look in his eyes, he was panicking and he turned to me, the closest person to him.

Oh no.

"No, I don't think that's such a goo-" Dart was writhing around in my hands and my face scrunches up in disgust.

Lucas and Max were right, he was slimy and he did feel like a living booger and my stomach twisted in knots. I felt like I could hurl.

I tensed up, and suddenly Dart let out horrible screech that hurt my ears and it startles me, making me yelp and jump back in fear dropping Dart.

There was a scatter of worried responses.

Mike was able to catch Dart, and he is the only one out of us who is able to tolerate him. He picks him up to examine him and Dustin lightly scolds me and then reluctantly asks me if I'm okay.

"I'm fine," I grumbled.

"What is he?" Mike asks.

"My question exactly." Dustin replied.

He got out some books from his back and plopped them on the table.

"At first, I thought he was some type of pollywog," he began.

"Pollywog?" Max wondered.

"It's another word for tadpole." He clarified. "A tadpole is the larval stage of a toad."

"I know what a tadpole is," she deadpanned, and I chuckled slightly.

We shared a slight smirk.

"All right, then you know that most tadpoles are aquatic, right?"

He opened up on of the books to a bookmarked page, I glanced at it and I made out the words 'Frog Life Cycle' from upside down.

"Well, Dart, he isn't. He doesn't need water."

"Yeah, but aren't there nonaquatic pollywogs?" Lucas asked.

"Terrestrial pollywogs? Yep. Two to be exact."

He opened up another bookmarked page from a different book.

"Indrana semipalmata" he flipped to another page. "And the Adenomera andreae. One's from India, one's from South America. So how did one end up in our trash?" He concluded.

"Maybe some scientists brought it here, and it escaped?" Max wondered.

"Yeah, and no offense Dustin, but we don't know anything about him. And you just found him, how do we know he's completely safe?"

Before anyone can answer my question, Mike speaks up, his attention on Dart who Dustin let roam around inside the barrier of the coils from his trap.

"Do you guys see that?"

We all lean in to get a closer look. Mike was right, on either sides, just above the base of his tail, something began... shifting.

'Okay, ew'

"It almost looks like something is moving inside of it." I said.

Mike adjusted the lamp so it was hovering over Dart. And once gain, he screeched, exactly like he had before, startling all of us. I start to panic when he crawls over the barrier of coils and jumps off the desk. Dustin quickly catches him.

"Whoa. It's okay. It's okay. I gotcha little guy. I know you don't like that. It's okay" I stared at my brother in shock and confusion.

Lucas and I shared an uncomfortable glance.

"And there's another thing," Dustin said, perking up. "Reptiles, they're cold-blooded. Ectothermic, right? They love heat, the sun. Dart hates it. It hurts him."

My brow had quirked when I heard this.

'Heat. Of course.'

It happened again. It must have. When I held Dart I must have burned him or something by accident and that's why he reacted.

'Shit, I really need to learn how to control that.'

I tried ridding my brain of the thought and leaned in to get a better look at Dart as my brother spoke.

"So, if he's not a pollywog or a reptile..." I urged.

"Then I've discovered a new species."

I looked around as I took in the information. However, I noticed that Will had an odd look in his eye. I was about to ask him with the bell rang, startling us all. The six of us grab our stuff and file put into the hallway.

"We gotta show him to Mr. Clarke," Lucas suggests, and I nod my head.

"No, what if he steals my discovery?"

"He's not gonna steal your discovery," Mike states.

"Yeah, I really don't think he would," I add.

"You know. I'm thinking about calling it Dustonius Pollywogus."

I laugh. "I'm sorry, the what now?"

"Dustonius Pollywogus. What do you think?" He turns, asking Max.

She laughs and shakes her head. "I think you're an idiot."

"You know, when I become rich and famous for this one day, don't come crawling back saying 'Oh, my God, Dustin, I'm so sorry for being mean to you back in 8th grade. Oh, my God'."

I laugh. "Yeah, I don't think you have to worry about that."

||3rd person POV||

Joyce was more than happy to be surprised by her boyfriend Bob at work. He had shown up to work to surprise her and the two were currently enjoying a pleasant lunch on a bench outside.

"Last night was fun."

"Mmm-hmm." Joyce agreed with a warm smile on her face.

She hadn't felt this happy in years. Bob always knew how to make her happy.

"I'm sorry if I overstepped anything," Bob spoke, referring to his previous suggestion of moving.

Joyce was shocked to hear this. "No! No, you didn't." She assured.

He weakly smiled. "Okay. I mean... I... I like you so much. Not just you, everything that comes with you. Your family, your boys."

Joyce felt as if her heart would burst. She smiled at the man as he continued.

"And I hope it's not wishful thinking, but... I kinda feel like I'm breaking through with them. Not so much Jonathan. He's a tough cookie to crack, but..."

She smiled and nodded along. "Yeah,"

"But with Will, I don't know, I feel like we're connecting."

She grinned at the man. "He likes you, too."

Bob smiled hopefully at this. "Yeah?"

"Mmm-hmm. I can tell."

Bob smiled to himself and reached for his Dr. Pepper. He popped open the drink and it fizzled. His mind quickly wandered to the video he had found that morning and he suddenly grew nervous. Bob knew he wasn't in trouble of course, but he hated making her upset. But he knew she needed to know.

"Oh, there was... something else I was gonna mention, but... and it's not a big deal at all, but...I just noticed this morning that my JVC was a little dinged up."

Her eyebrows furrowed. "Your what?"

"The video camera."

Joyce seemed taken aback. She felt bad that his camera was shaken up but she knew that didn't sound like something the boys would lie about. Not her boys.

"Oh,"

Bob nodded his head. "Yeah. It still works fine and everything. I just...I went back and watched the tape... there were some older kids picking on Will."

Joyce set down her lunch immediately, and her expression hardened. "What?"

Bob carried on with a wince. "They scared him."

"Who were they? Were they the Zimmerman brothers again?"

"Um, I don't know. They were wearing masks or sort of makeup and... Maybe. They were the right age."

Joyce looked away and rage filled her system. "I'll kill them. I swear to God, I will... I will kill them." She scathed.

Bob looked at her with adoration and pride. He shook his head slightly. "That's what I love about you. You punch back."

"And, I know this does not make any of that or what happened okay, but if it's any consolation, that friend of his, Y/N right?"

She nodded, unsure of where he was going.

"Well, she cursed them out something awful. I think she was ready to actually punch them." Bob let out a weak chuckle as he spoke.

Joyce felt a sense of pride. "Good. They have it coming to them."

She shook her head, still fuming from the knowledge.

Bob chuckled. "I was never really one to put up a fight. I struggled a lot like Will when I was a kid. With bullies. It's ones like us, that don't punch back, that people really take advantage of, you know? Really, rub your nose in it. Just a little bit more."

Joyce fell silent as she listened to Bob. She couldn't recall him being this passionate about something and she was listening, captivated.

"That's why, that's why it makes it all the more special. People like me, and Will. We are fortunate enough to find people in our lives that punch back. Like you, and Y/N. Will and I, we are some of the luckiest fellas on earth, cause we are fortunate enough to have people like you and Y/N around, and Will has you both. And me?"

Joyce smiled, and she felt all the anger melting away as Bob continued.

"Look at me now! I get to date Joyce Byers! Ha!"

A laugh escaped her lips and she smiled, leaning forward and pecking him on the lips.

And the two enjoyed the rest of their lunch together in peace.


	12. The Pollywog - P4 - FINAL

A/n: HOLY SLEEP DEPRIVATION, BATMAN. I wrote most of this at like 3 am. Ok, now THIS is a long chapter. I would advise you to take some breaks but I don't know how many of you will actually listen so... yeah, happy reading and count this your daily reminder to drink some water! :D

||3rd Person POV||

El marched through the woods. She had been walking for several hours. Finally, she reached the edge of the woods, and her attention was drawn to the sounds of giggling.

She followed the noise and found just up the hill was a mother pushing her child on the swing.

"Pump your feet," The mother encouraged, smiling.

El couldn't help but feel saddened by this. More memories of Hopper came flooding back.

[FLASHBACK]

"I would feel so sad if I was a disappointment to her,"

Night had fallen and El had been tucked into bed. She listened intently as Hopper read Anne of Greene Gables to her, much like he did for his daughter before her passing.

"because she didn't live very long after that, you see. She died of a fever when I was just three months old. I do wish she'd lived long enough for me to remember calling her mother. I think it would be so sweet to say 'mother.'"

"Do I have a mother?" El asked timidly.

"Yeah, of course you have a mother. You couldn't really be born without one."

"Where is she?"

"She..." Hopper's face fell. "She's not around anymore."

"Gone?"

There was a pain in his eyes as he told her this.

"Yeah."

El's eyes began to water, and Hopper felt a weight on his heart.

"I'm sorry about that, kid." He said sincerely.

There was a moment of silence, and Hopper continued as El quietly wiped the tears from her eyes.

[END OF FLASHBACK]

"Is your mom here?"

El was still staring at the new empty swing set, lost in the memory.

"Sweetie?"

El tore her gaze away to the mom who now stood before her, holding her child's hand. A concerned look was etched on her face.

"School." El croaked. "Where is school?"

The mother only looked more concerned and confused. Reluctantly, she replied.

"The school? It's, uh... it's about a mile that way. At least." She gestured.

She offered El a kind smile.

"Where are your parents?"

El shifted her attention to the swing and the sound of chains rattling grabbed the attention of the younger girl.

"Look, Mommy, look."

The woman looked behind her to see she swing her daughter had previously occupied was now wrapping itself around the structure of the swing set.

Astonished, she looked back to El, only nobody was there. She had vanished.

+++

All Joyce could think about the rest of the day was those mean nasty boys.

The second she walked in the door, she went straight to the video camera. She recalled it being in Will's room. She threw open the door and scanned the messy room.

She recognized the device laying on Will's desk and she made a beeline for it.

After much turbulence and a confusing call with Bob, she got the tape hooked up to the TV and pressed play.

She saw a clip of Bob teaching the boys how to operate the camera. She frowned, as she looked at the buttons on the device. She found the fast forward button and pressed it, scanning the screen carefully. After a considerable amount of time, the camera shifted and was angled up at the sky.

She immediately pressed rewind and then play, right before the incident must have happened. It was the view of Y/n Henderson running after someone, Mike she gathered from her distant voice in the video. When sure enough, just as Bob had said, out of nowhere three teenagers in masks and makeup appeared.

"Watch it, Zombie Boy!" A boy dressed as a werewolf said, before disappearing.

"Trick or treat, freak!"

"Boo!"

As Joyce watched the tape, carefully trying to identify the boys, her face contorted in disgust. She could feel her blood boil at the sight.

By now the camera had fallen to the ground and was angled at the sky. For a moment nothing happened, that was until she heard a familiar voice.

"Will?" It was Y/n, and she sounded worried.

Joyce heard shuffling and then soon enough, Y/n came into view, and her voice rose as she yelled at the fleeting bullies. Her arms waving in her fit of anger.

"Hey, piss off! You leave him alone, you hear me? You leave him the fuck alone!"

Joyce never bothered to fight the small smirk that made its way onto her face. Those pricks had it coming to them. She reminded herself to thank Y/n later.

Her small moment of relief was immediately replaced with heartache when she heard Will begin to call out, frightened.

"Y/n! Mike!" She saw him wander carefully and cautiously into view.

Suddenly, she noticed a pause and then Will running away, followed by a very concerned Y/n.

The screen flickered ever so quickly and she paused the tape when she noticed the faint outline of something.

The screen flickered once more before it stopped. Her eyes caught on the mysterious invisible shape the camera had picked up. Something clicked in her head and she stared at the thin wispy outline in horror.

She jumped to her feet and ran to the kitchen. She ripped open one of the supply drawers and grabbed a sheet of parchment paper, and one of Will's crayons.

Joyce ran back to the television set and put it against the screen, and quickly traced it. When she finished, she knew she recognized the shape and ran it back to the table, comparing it to Will's drawing of the giant monster.

It was an exact match. And her worst fears had been realized.

||Reader's POV||

"This is the reason I was late for class," Dustin assured.

School had just ended, and Dustin, Max, Lucas and I were all gathered around Mr. Clarke's desk. Will and Mike hadn't joined us yet, they were still at their lockers and Will insisted he had to talk to Mike.

Dustin placed the trap on Mr. Clarke's desk, as he began explaining.

Mr. Clarke ran a hand over the closed trap.

"Pretty neat. These doors function?"

"Well, yeah, obviously. But it's not about the trap. It's what's inside. Now, this very well may change your perception of the world."

Mr. Clarke shrugged lightly.

"Consider my interest piqued."

"All right, first, let's just clarify that, this is my discovery, not yours."

Lucas began flailing his arms.

"Dustin, Jesus! Just show him!"

"I'm just trying to clarify--"

"Dustin!" Max insists.

"Okay, fine"

He reaches to open the trap, but before anything can happen the door swings open. Mike comes sprinting in, Will behind him.

"Stop!" Mike yells frantically.

"What is it? What's going on?" I ask.

"Nothing." Mike quickly squeezes in between me and Lucas and grabs the trap, holding it tightly to his chest. "I'm sorry, Mr. Clarke. It was just a stupid prank."

"What the hell are you doing?" Dustin asks angrily.

"I told him to stop. We need to go. Right now."

Max and I share an equally concerned look.

"Mike!" Dustin pleads.

"Right now!" Mike screams, sprinting back into the hall.

+++

Mike had dragged the original party back into the AV room, forcing us to leave Max outside.

"I'm really, really sorry Max. It should only take a minute." I quickly stepped back and explained to her.

The boys shut her out with no effort of explaining so once again, I was trying to undo some of the damage. Hoping she'd still want to be my friend.

"Wait, seriously Y/n?"

The guys were already shutting her out, and now I had to. I hated this.

"I know, I'm so sorry, but I wouldn't be doing this if wasn't absolutely necessary."

"Y/n!" Mike called from inside the AV room, and I huffed.

"I'm really sorry." I started to close the door, but then I met her eye and just before shutting it I lowered my voice. "Please trust me."

Before I had closed the door, she seemed to relax in the slightest. As if considering my words.

I walked over to stand next to Lucas and looked to each of them.

"You better make this quick..." Their expressions all shifted to that of concern at what I said next. "I have something I need to tell you too."

Now that we were all gathered around the trap, Mike caught us up.

Will had said he saw Dart last year. We were all trying to process this, and I guess some time had passed since Max began pounding on the door.

"Hello? Hello?"

I barely made out a sigh from the other side of the door.

"Guys, come on. Can I come in yet?"

I was about to reply when Mike answered her.

"No!"

I glared at Mike's behavior.

He rolled his eyes in response.

"I don't understand," Lucas said finally, ignoring our silent argument.

"What do you not understand?" Mike asked.

"Will saw something that looked like Dart last year?"

"Kind of, but there was no tail," Will answered timidly.

"But then he heard it yesterday. The exact same sound." Mike explained quickly.

"What, the screeching?" I ask.

"Doesn't matter, why didn't you tell us before?" Dustin asked.

"I wasn't sure," Will said quietly.

"So it's a coincidence," Dustin confirmed.

Mike countered. "Or not. What if when Will was stuck in the Upside Down, he somehow acquired True Sight?"

"Remind me what True Sight is again?" I asked.

"It gives you the power to see into the ethereal plane."

Lucas sighed and gestured for Dustin to continue. "Elaborate."

It clicked in my head.

"The Upside Down," I say, in shock.

"Exactly. Maybe these episodes that Will keeps having aren't really flashbacks at all. Maybe they're real. Maybe Will can somehow see into the Upside Down."

"So that would mean..." Lucas trailed off.

"Dart is from the Upside Down." Mike clarifies.

Dustin sighed heavily.

"We have to take him to Hopper," Lucas stated, and Mike quickly agrees.

Dustin, of course, jumped at the chance to defend Dart. "No way. If we take him to Hopper, Dart's as good as dead."

"Maybe he should be," Mike snapped.

I roll my eyes.

"How can you say that?" Dustin asks shocked.

I raise my hands, signaling them to stop.

"Guys, come on." I sigh and turn to Dustin. "Look, Dustin. It's sweet that you care about Dart. But you have to realize what's at stake here. This is exactly what I was talking about before, we don't know anything about him or what he is capable of."

"But that doesn't automatically mean that he's bad. Besides, we have a bond."

Mike scoffs. "A bond? Just because he likes nougat?"

"No, because he trusts me!"

"He trusts you?" Lucas asks slowly, sounding concerned.

"Yes, I promised I would take care of him," Dustin exclaimed.

Suddenly, the trap began to rattle violently and we all stepped back.

There was more pounding on the door.

"Guys, what's going on? Come on."

We could all hear Dart from inside the trap as it shook.

"Dustin, what the hell's wrong with him?" I asked, my pulse quickening.

"I-I don't know!" He stuttered.

The ghost trap shook so much it vibrated and then it was tipped on its side.

Mike grabbed the speaker from one of the radios and held it high, ready to strike.

Dustin threw his hand up, pointing at Mike.

"Don't hurt him." He warned.

"Only if he attacks," Mike argued, eyes never leaving the trap.

"Just open it already." Lucas urged.

Dustin reached for the attachment that opens the device, and after a brief moment of hesitation, he opens it.

We all stare in disbelief as Dart comes rolling out. He was twice his previous size, and several shades darker.

"Holy shit," Lucas stated, sounding disgusted.

Dart dragged himself along the desk. When he stopped, thin webs of skin where we had seen movement from earlier, were stretched out until they sprouted two new legs. And what looked like watered down jam splattered around the desk.

"Oh, my God," I mumble horrified, and sick to my stomach.

Everything went by all too fast after that.

"Oh, shit!" Lucas exclaimed, jumping back.

He looked in the direction of Lucas and me and screeched for the third time.

Mike launched at Dart, but Dustin interfered.

Dart, in an attempt to escape Mike, suddenly launched off the desk and right towards me not caring that I was in his way.

I scream.

The next thing I knew, my arms were outstretched in front of me, shielding myself and it almost felt as if a wave of body heat had rolled off me. Dart let out a painful screech and hit the edge of the desk before tumbling to the ground.

Everyone began yelling at once.

"Shit, Y/n! Did you just-?" Lucas screamed.

"I don't know!" I cried out, scrambling back. "That's kinda what I wanted to tell you guys about but I didn't know I could do that!" The words tumble out of my mouth quickly, in a weak attempt to explain as I scramble after Dart, the others after him too.

"Grab him! Grab him!"

"What do you thinkI'm trying to do?!" I yell in frustration as I scramble after him.

He had made a quick detour under the desk and around the legs of the desk, completely out of my reach.

"Wait, where did he go?"

I had almost had him, but then I lost my footing and stumbled to the ground. I looked up just in time to see Dart make his way towards the door.

It swung open to reveal a confused Max, who must have picked the lock.

"Wait, no, no, no-!" I attempted to get up, only to get trampled by the boys in the process.

The boys spilled out into the hallway, who had also managed to knock down Max.

I finally scrambled to my feet and stumbled into the hallway, my heart pounding against my ribcage.

"Where'd he go?" I asked, looking around frantically.

Max got to her feet, ignoring the question. "What was that?"

Mike whipped around to face her, his face going red with anger.

"Dart!"

"What?"

"You let him escape!"

In turn, Dustin got in Mike's face, jabbing a finger in his chest. "Why did you attack him?"

Mike pushed him aside and ran off. "Come on."

I followed after Mike, and Dustin called after us.

"Don't hurt him. Don't you hurt him!"

||3rd Person POV||

El waited patiently, in the safety behind the trees until the last bus left before she stepped out into the open.

Spotting the bike rack, she quickly sprinted across the parking lot, coming to a stop when she recognized the wide outstretched handlebars of one particular bike.

It was unmistakable. The single light that rested in between the handlebars, the seat that was so worn down, it had been taped back together. And of course, the extra seat attached to the back.

It was his bike.

And it meant he was still here.

+++

Mike made a left turn, walking swiftly down the hallway.

He waited until he passed the few stragglers that were still in the hallway, to clear the area.

"East is clear. No sign of Dart."

He trudged up the stairs, muttering angrily to himself.

"Where'd you go, you little bastard?"

He made his way to the gym, passing several hallways in the process.

El, who sensed movement, reached the end of the hallway, where he had just been. Contemplating which way to go, opted to take a right. Unknowingly growing further and further from Mike with each and every step she took.

+++

In a separate wing of the school, Dustin was scanning his area. He had donned his headset during his search. Dustin turned a corner near one of the exits and had run into Mr. Clarke, who was leaving for the day.

He plastered on his most innocent looking smile and sent his teacher off with a salute, to which he returned and Dustin got back to work.

"West is clear too. Will?"

+++

Will exited the last classroom he had checked. "South is clear. Lucas? Anything?"

Lucas ran down one of several hallways in the north wing, coming across a classroom door, just slightly ajar.

Assuming Dart was behind the door, he ran towards it, kicking it open.

Only to find his math teacher packing up for the day.

"Excuse me! Mr. Sinclair!"

"S-sorry!" He spluttered. "I was looking for study hall. Bye."

He chuckled nervously and backed out into the hallway, his face dropping and he spoke quickly and sternly into the walkie.

"Nothin' here, man. Y/n?"

She was constantly on the move, all over the school. Sweeping the halls in case Dart had narrowly escaped before any of the others had seen.

Her voice crackled over all of their comms.

"I've got a lot of ground to cover, but so far so clear," she quipped. "I'll keep you guys posted though,"

+++

Mike entered the gym, and his attention was immediately brought to the creaking noise across the room.

He noted it was the door to the locker rooms swinging back and forth.

He frowned suspiciously.  
Quickly and quietly he walked across the gym.

He walked into the tight hallway, most of the lights had turned off and he was starting to feel less confident.

He saw a mop to his left and grabbed it just in case. Slowly but surely, he crept through the locker spaces, and he heard something clatter. His heart pounding, he hid behind the locker, readying himself to attack.

He jumped out from hiding, yelling as he did so. Only for his voice to catch in his throat when he saw Max, board and all, looking at him like he'd grown a second head.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"What are you doing? Why are you in here?" He snapped back.

"I'm looking for Dart." She defends.

"This is the boys' room."

"Yeah, so?"

"So you should go home." He threw the mop to the ground and stormed out.

Max started after him, fuming.

She trailed him all the way out into the gym.

All her anger had finally bubbled over and she raised her voice, allowing herself to scream at the boy.

"Why do you hate me so much?"

"I don't hate you. How can I hate you? I even know you." He threw the words over his shoulder, not bothering to look at her.

"Yeah, but you don't want me in your party." She argued.

"Correct." He spits.

"Why not?"

Mike whirled around to face her, releasing all his anger.

"Because you're annoying." Max recoiled at his words, but he only continued to yell. "Also, we don't need another party member. I'm our paladin, Will's our cleric, Dustin's our bard, Lucas is our ranger, Y/n's our druid, and El is our mage."

Max's face scrunched up in confusion. "El? Who's El?"

Mike shook his head. "Someone. No one."

She raised her eyebrows. "Someone or no one?"

"She was in our party a long time ago. She moved away, okay?" He sighed, hoping she would drop the subject as quickly as possible.

Max, who had other plans, set her skateboard down and began to glide around the gym.

"She was a mage?" Genuinely interested. "Well, what could she do? Like, magic tricks or something?"

She jumped off the board and planted herself in front of Mike.

"Well, I could be your zoomer," she offered.

Mike rolled his eyes. "That's not even a real thing."

"It could be," Max insisted, not refusing to give up.

She got back on her skateboard and began to skate in circles around Mike. He just stood there in annoyance, watching her. She had her arms outstretched and smirk on her face.

"See? Zoomer,"

"Mind-blowing," He deadpanned.

"Come on, you know you're impressed,"

+++

El walked quickly passed the gym. The memories flooding back to her all at once every time she turned a familiar corner. She stopped suddenly when she heard a distant voice.

"I don't see any tricks. You're just going around in a circle,"

She knew that voice. Her pulse quickened, and her palms began to sweat.

Granted his voice was slightly deeper but it was his. Mike.

But then she heard a female voice.

"If it's so easy, you try it,"

El didn't know that voice and it scared her.

Nevertheless, she poked her head around the corner, and she saw the gym doors. The voices continued.

"No,"

"Why not?"

"I don't know how,"

"So, then you admit it's kind of impressive,"

"I think if I spent, like, all day practicing, I could do that,"

"I would give you a million bucks if you could,"

"Okay, you're making me dizzy,"

El crept towards the gym doors, terrified of what she might find.

This wasn't how it was supposed to go.

"Please just stop,"

"I'll stop when I join your party,"

El made it to the gym doors and she saw him. He was taller, much taller but he was still himself. But there was a girl. A pretty girl with long red hair with him. Smiling at him.

"It's a simple question. Am I in or out?"

And there it was. He smiled at her. The way he used to smile at El and the girl was just as happy. El felt her heart grow heavy, she hated this feeling. And after all the excitement for seeing him, everything she had risked to see him.

And yet, for some reason she could not explain, it was hard to stay mad at him. She felt herself getting angry at this girl. Like it was her fault. Like this girl was intentionally replacing her.

Her jaw clenched, and her hands balled into fists as she focused her attention on the front two wheels of the girl's board, and ripped it out from under her.

The girl was thrown off her board, landing on the gym floor with a grunt.

El's face fell as she saw Mike jump to the girl's aid. "Jesus! Are you all right?"

Nothing about what El did made her feel good.

The girl began to sit up, grasping her side. "Yeah, yeah. I think so,"

Mike grabbed her hand and helped her up, and El began to water as she watched the exchange.

"What happened?" Mike asked, his hand lingered on the girl's wrist, hurting El even more.

"I don't know. It was like a magnet or something pulling on my board," The girl explained, quickly shaking her head. "I know that sounds crazy,"

Max walked after her rollaway board, and Mike's eyes widened in familiarity.

He looked over his shoulder, from where he had entered the gym and made a run for it.

It had to be her. It had to be. Right?

And yet, his heart fell when he was met with an empty hallway, no one else in sight.

+++

Will could have sworn he heard noises coming from the bathroom, and he hadn't heard from anybody over the comes for a while.

And so, gathering all his courage, he pushed open the door and crept inside.

He hadn't realized he had been hoping to find nothing until he heard the all too familiar chittering  
from the furthest stall down and his stomach dropped.

He tiptoed towards the noise, not wanting to scare him off. He reached the stall closest to the windows, slowly reached out a hand and cautiously opened the stall door. Sure enough, there sat Dart.

He was curled up in the corner, where the two walls met. He looked up at will and chittered.

Will raised his walkie slowly, and spoke calmly into it, taking every precaution not to scare him away.

"Guys... I found him,"

"Where?" It was Dustin.

"In the bathroom by Mr. Salerno's," Will whispered.

"Copy that," Mike relayed.

"I copy. I'm on way," Y/n responded.

Dart began to slowly recoil, and Will tried his best to seem as unthreatening as possible.

"It's okay," he said softly. "I'm not gonna hurt you,"

Dart looked at Will before letting out an earsplitting scream.

Startled, Will dropped his walkie and ran out of the bathroom in fright.

He stopped once he left the bathroom to catch his breath, not wanting to let the others down.

There was a loud thud that came from down the hall to his left, and he froze. The lights began to flicker. This wasn't happening again, he didn't want to believe it. He looked at the lights and when his gaze returned to the hallway to his left, the hallways were covered in vines, and everything was slimy. He was back.

An exit. There was an exit just his right. Out of nowhere, a black fog oozed out of the hallway in front of it, heading straight for him. He turned on his heel and ran.

He reached the painted paw print on the wall. He made another right. He quickly looked over his shoulder as he ran and it was still gaining on him. It wasn't relenting.

There was another exit. But he was beginning to believe he wouldn't make it. The farther he ran the quicker it seemed to get. He was panting heavily now but this fog had formed its own tendrils that were reaching out for him.

He finally made it to the doors and he threw them open as hard he could. He was now on the field but he was still in the Upside Down. And that that thing was still after him.

+++

BAM

Dustin threw open every stall door of the bathroom.

He sighed in relief when he opened up the last stall, and even Dart made a noise in contention, having recognized Dustin.

Dustin smiled at his small companion. "Hey, buddy,"

Dustin knelt down and held out his hands, Dart quickly scurried over to him.

"Come here. You know I won't hurt you,"

Dart happily jumped into Dustin's open palms and he calmly stood up. "It's okay. It's just me. You're okay,"

"Let's go. Down here," Mike's voice echoed from the halls.

Lucas could be heard soon after.

"We're coming!"

Dustin panicked, knowing his friends would try to get rid of Dart so he knew he had to buy some time.

Holding Dart in one hand, he moved his headset to hang around his neck, and took off his hat, and put Dart on top of his head, before putting his hat back over Dart.

"Stay low, and keep quiet."

Mike came marching in, Lucas and Max behind him.

"Where's Dart?" Mike asked.

"I don't know. He's not here. Where's Y/n?" Dustin countered, changing the subject.

Mike began looking for Dart and he checking the stalls when he heard he wasn't there.

"We don't know. Figured she'd got here before us," Lucas said.

"He said by Salerno's, right?" Max asked.

"Yeah, maybe Will has him," Dustin quickly lied.

Lucas crossed his arms and looked at Dustin skeptically, while Mike went pale.

"Where is Will?"

+++

Will pumped his arms as he sprinted through the field. He struggled to keep his breathing check so he wouldn't have to slow down.

He could feel the presence getting closer. And the memory of that morning's conversation with Bob flashed in his head.

"Only this time, I didn't run."

His legs came to a stop. Will's eyes widened, his heartbeat quickened, and his palms began to sweat. He grew pale. But he knew it was worth a shot.

He told himself he needed to do this.

"This time, I stood my ground."

Will was panting heavily, but he slowly turned around coming face to face with the monster. It towered over the school, looking directly at Will.

"I said, 'Go away. Go away!'"

Will gathered all his courage, tears brimming his eyes and he cried out.

"Go away!"

It got closer. It was swooping in like vulture but Will didn't give in.

"Go away! Go away!" Tears were streaming down his face, and the monster got closer. "Go away! Go away! Go away!"

The monster bellowed, and one large tentacle began twirling down onto the ground, the size of a small tornado. The swirling gust of black fog engulfed Will.

He stood frozen, now trapped in the swirling fog. Several black tendrils spawned from the mass and invaded Will and he could feel the evil presence as it possessed his body and settled in his very soul.

He felt every essence of warmth cease to be, and all that existed was icy darkness.

"Easy peasy, right?"

"Easy peasy."

Will was gasping for air but every breath he took felt like hundreds of daggers were being plunged in his lungs.

"Just like that."

||Reader's POV||  
-MINUTES EARLIER-

I turned yet another corner, my eyes scanning the floors. They flew to my walkie when I heard it crackle. I didn't need any confirmation from the voice to know it belonged to Will.

"Guys... I found him,"

I stopped in my tracks. My ears perked up.

"Where?" It was Dustin.

"In the bathroom by Mr. Salerno's," Will whispered.

"Copy that," Mike replied.

I briskly turned on my heel and began speed walking where I came from. I raised the walkie to my lips.

"I copy. I'm on way,"

Salerno's. I was close.

I turned the corner, releasing the speaker button on my walkie. I passed by countless classrooms in my rush to the bathroom, mindlessly making turns. My mind began to wander to Dart and just how much convincing Dustin is going to need seeing how attached he already was.

'But in all honesty, how can one find that-'

My legs stopped carrying me forward, and my body failed me, I just stood there, glued to the floor staring at what I had accidentally stumbled upon. My breath hitched, I gasped and I could hear my heartbeat in my ears.

"Oh, my God," I breathed, my eyes welling up with tears. "Eleven?"


	13. Will The Wise - P1

||Reader's POV||

It was her. It was really El.

I almost didn't recognize her. Her hair had grown out and was now a flattering mess of curls.

She seemed shocked to see me, she stood there like a deer in headlights but like me, I could see tears pooling in her eyes.

"Y/n," she croaked.

We both snapped out of our respected dazes and ran towards each other, enveloping one another in a hug.

"Oh, my God you're alive!" Tears were freely falling down my cheeks. "I can't believe- We thought you-"

I heard her sniffling and I felt my shoulder slowly grow damp from her tears.

"I missed you too," I could hear the smile she wore as she spoke.

We both chuckled half-heartedly and gave the hug one last squeeze before pulling away.

"I really did miss you, all of us did," I mumbled. "Where were you? What happened?"

She shrugged lightly, and began her eyes began to shift. Like she was getting antsy and she in one place for too long.

"Long story," she mumbled.

I nod in understanding. And I immediately remember Mike and the others.

"Mike. Mike needs to know you're here! He misses you like crazy. The others will want to see you too, they're all here. You'll even get to meet Will!" I began to talk faster without trying, growing more excited by the second but El seemed to change.

She gave me a somber smile, and I felt my grin fade away.

"El? What's wrong?"

She looked me in the eye and then looked away, seeming to be contemplating several things.

"I-"

My head tilted in confusion.

'How could she not want to see Mike?'

"I can't." Something was definitely off, it almost looked as if something clicked in her head. "Not safe."

It sounded as if she was realizing it for the first time as she said it.

"What?" I blinked several times, completely confused. "What do you mean, what isn't safe?"

She spoke slowly, like every word hurt her to say. "I shouldn't have come."

I felt a pang of sadness in my chest and I gaped at her.

"What? But I just found you. And Mike, he's been miserable, please don't-"

She seemed pained by words and she cut me off.

"Y/n," She urged, on the verge of tears.

She took a deep breath, composing herself. "I... was wrong. Can't be here." She reiterated.

She began looking around again, scanning our surroundings and swiftly moved herself around the corner and I followed, glancing around the corner to see someone pass through the halls.

My eye wandered back to her and our eyes met and I understood.

"You're in hiding, aren't you?"

She nodded her head.

I lightly sighed.

"You're safe, right?"

She nodded again.

"I know you probably can't tell me much, but..." my voice was hoarse and quiet, threatening to break. "I just want to make sure you're okay. You're getting enough food and a warm place to sleep, right?"

She smiled weakly at me, knowing I asked because I cared and she nodded.

"So, why did you come?" I asked, curiously.

A look of pain flickered across her face.

She shook her head, looking down at her feet. "Mistake."

There was a small pause.

"Y/n" she said suddenly. "You can't tell."

"But what about Mike? I know he'd keep a secret for you."

"Doesn't matter" I looked into her eyes and I saw the seriousness, and pain in them. "Knowing is dangerous."

She looked at her feet, shifting slightly. Her face was slightly scrunched up in concentration. In her absence it seems she had grown more accustomed to speaking for longer periods of time but still seemed to be getting used to it.

"Knowing about me is dangerous. You know now..." She paused, looking sincerely into my eyes. "I'm sorry."

She looked me sternly in the eyes.

"Promise not to tell."

My heart broke.

'How could I keep this from Mike, much less the others?'

"But-"

"Y/n." She pleaded. "Promise?"

The look in her eyes told me she didn't want to be asking me this, it pained her. She clearly wanted to see us or she wouldn't have come. She looked at me with heartbreak and desperation in her eyes.

I took a deep breath, sending several apologies to Mike in advance.

"I promise."

"Thank you," she whispered, nodding.

She glanced up at the wall behind me, and takes a deep shaky breath.

"Time... to go."

I swallowed the lump in my throat.

"Do you have to?"

She blinked back tears.

"Yes."

"Will I see you again?"

She smiled hopefully.

"Yes."

A knowing look flickered across her face. She had an idea.

"I... can reach you."

"How-?"

"Trust me."

I nod, and the look that crosses her face tells me she needs to go.

I realize what she might be talking about but my mind wanders to the others.

"Well..." I mumble. "I guess this is goodbye."

She pulled me in for a hug and I welcomed it, tears brimming in my eyes.

When we pulled away, she smiled at me sadly.

"For now,"

||3rd Person POV||

Joyce, having previously called the school only to find out AV club had been cancelled, was now in a mad dash to the school. She needed to see Will, now that she knew what his 'episodes' really were. She only prayed he was okay. After all, he wasn't home yet and AV club was supposedly cancelled.

She flew through traffic, startling many citizens, and school children walking home.

She stomps on the brakes, coming to a halt on the front of the school and exits her car. She marches into the building, heading straight for the AV room. She frowns when she finds it empty.

A small part of her wanted to believe it was an ignorant staff member who was misinformed about the club schedule. Suddenly she heard a young voice come from down the hall.

"Will?" She recognized the voice to be Dustin's and she follows the source.

Rounding the corner up ahead was Dustin, soon followed by another girl his age she didn't recognize.

"Dustin!"

Dustin frowned. "Mrs. Byers?" He asked.

"What's going on? Where's Will?"

On cue, Lucas comes sprinting in from one of the entrances down the hall, he pants frantically.

"The field!"

He sprints back outside and the others are close behind. Sure enough, Will is standing frozen on the field, Mike at his side, hand on Will's shoulder trying to shake him.

"Will. I just found him like this!" He explains. "I think he's having another episode!"

Joyce, a firm grip on Will's shoulders began lightly shaking him. Desperately trying to bring him out of his episode.

"Will! Will! Will!" She plead.

Mike noticed out of the corner of his eye, figure running towards them.

It was Y/n.

Mike returned his attention to Will, a pit forming in his stomach at seeing his friend in such distress. There was nothing he could do to help him and he felt trapped.

"Sweetie, wake up! It's Mom!"

Joyce's heart was hammering in her chest, she could hear her blood pumping in her ears. His episodes have never been this bad.

《•••》

Icy fear filled his veins as the monster took over his body. There was nothing he could do but gasp for air but even that invited more darkness. He could feel it everywhere.

《•••》

"Will, wake up!"

"Will?" Y/n had finally reached them and her eyes welled up at the sight before her.

She had pushed through her small crowd of friends and stood next to her best friend and his mother, right at Mike's side.

Mike noted her pale features, all color had already been drained from her face.

Joyce stroked her son's cheek fearfully, desperately hoping to pull him out.

"Will, wake up!" She plead. "Can you hear me?"

《•••》

Will was choking, the icy dark matter chilling him to his very bone and invading his mind.

《•••》

"Will, please, just wake up." Joyce cried.

Lucas looked fearfully at his friends, each of them paralyzed with fear. He noticed Y/n who had her shaky hands on her mouth, tears streaming down her cheeks.

《•••》

Every second the shadow engulfed him felt like a lifetime. In that moment he feared this would never end. That this was the end of him.

《•••》

Joyce shook her son once more, slightly harder this time praying it would snap him out of it.

"It's Mom! It's me!" Joyce was crying now.

Will never faltered from his state. His eyes closed, his eyelids twitching feverishly, his eyes moving back and forth frantically beneath them.

"Will!" Y/n croaked.

Y/n's voice came out in a weak plea and her hand outstretched to touch his shoulder without realizing it.

《•••》

Every inch of him felt frozen to bone, like thousands of needles piercing through his skin all the way to his now icy blood that pumped itself into his heart.

But then he felt a searing, blinding hot pain in his arm. A pain so profound he could imagine a white hot iron bar stabbing him in the arm.

His eyes ripped open and he gasped, air finally entering his lungs. He was back on the field, his mother staring at him frightened in, Lucas, Dustin, Max, Mike and Y/n surrounding him.

The next thing he was aware of was the searing hot pain that was exploding over his body from where Y/n's fingertips barely brushed his arm.

||Reader's Pov||

The five of us stand on the steps outside the school, watching as Joyce walked Will to the car.

"Okay, that totally freaked me out." Max said, looking at all of us.

I barely register this, and all I can focus on is Will as he gets into the car.

I was still trying to process the fact that I just ran into El. And oh God, how the hell am I supposed to keep this from Mike? I knew it was gonna be difficult but I'm already aching to tell him.

And on top of that, I wasn't there for Will because of this secret. This is the worst episode he's ever had. I can feel a stomach ache coming on, and I already feel the weight of everything that just transpired in the last twenty minutes weighing me down.

My ears perk up and I'm pulled from my thoughts when I hear what Max asked Lucas.

"What's true sight?"

I look from her to Lucas and he smiles sheepishly before looking back at the car Will was riding off in.

"Nothing." He said. "Y/n, you alright?"

I looked to him, distracted and I nod. My thoughts still on Will and El.

"Yeah, where the hell were you?"

My head snaps to Mike, who was now directing his fear and anger towards me.

I was prepared to spit a nasty comeback but knowing what I was keeping from him the anger mostly melted away.

Mostly.

I looked away, focusing on something in the distance rather than look him in the eye. I sighed.

"A teacher cornered me. Talked my ear off." I lied.

"What teacher?" Mike asked irritated, he seemed suspicious of me.

There was a very small, hopefully unnoticeable pause as I flipped through the rolodex of possible teachers in my head.

A name just came out.

"Clarke." Mike seemed satisfied and looked away, before heading inside, probably to get his stuff.

We all followed suit but then Dustin caught my eye and he furrowed his brows.

He definitely knew I had lied about something judging by the look he was giving me. My pulse quickened.

I gave him a pleading look and shook my head, silently begging him to drop it.

He frowned slightly and he waited for the others to head into the building before he pulled me aside, whispering frantically.

"I saw Mr. Clarke leave before Will found Dart. Now what are you hiding?"

I saw Max from inside the school, she looked at us and gave us a look that said "Come on!"

I looked back at Dustin and my eyes welled up. I gave my brother a stern and pleading look.

"I need you to drop it Dustin, just please. For my sake and yours. Trust me."

He seemed taken aback, and it looked like he considered it. He sighed.

"All right, fine. But you owe me one." He pointed a finger at me before heading into the school with the others.

I sighed heavily.

'This would not be easy.'

||3rd Person POV||

"I can't remember." Will lied.

He was now back at home, sitting at the kitchen table with his mother who was trying to get him to talk.

Something inside of him didn't want to tell the truth. He didn't want to worry her.

"I need you to try." She said gently.

"I... I was on the field and... and then it..."

'It got me.' He thought.

But he quickly covered it up.

"it all just went blank, and... and then you were there."

It broke Joyce's heart knowing he was afraid to tell her. He knew he never did that, so it must be bad. She wasn't angry at him though, she just looked him in the eye, trying to show him it was okay.

"I need you to tell me the truth."

He shrugged his shoulders defensively.

"I am." He was stuttering.

She sighed, knowing what she had to do.

She stood from the table and grabbed her parchment paper tracing that she had compared to Will's drawing.

She returned to the table and set it down in front of him, tapping the paper.

"This shape," she began, already noticing Will's panicked look. "I saw it on the video tape from Halloween night. It's the same shape as... as your drawing."

Will looked to her and back at the drawing, eyes widened.

"These episodes that you're having, I think Dr. Owens is wrong. I think they're real. But... but I can't help you if I don't know what's going on. So you have to talk to me. Please."

Will looked from drawing and back to his mother. He was debating it all.

"No more secrets, okay?"

He nodded.

"Okay." She said slightly relieved. "Did... did you see this thing again on the field?"

He remembered the chilling feeling of seeing it on the field. Towering over him.

His voice came out in a whisper.

"Yes." He was beginning to shake.

Joyce just wanted to understand. But she was afraid to ask.

"What... What is it?"

He remembered facing it on Halloween. Y/n and Mike had disappeared and he was all alone.

"I don't know," He spoke tearfully, eyes welling up and a lump forming in his throat. "I-It's almost like a feeling."

"Like the one you had that night at the arcade?"

He recalled the moment before Y/n had found him. How the monster stared into his very soul. But something had angered it. It made what could only be assumed as a roar. But it didn't sound like one. It bellowed and screeched but was almost drowned out by the crack of thunder. The earth shook and the monster recoiled slightly in anger and disgust.

Will recalled thinking it felt threatened, that the monster wanted him to feel scared and alone but in that moment he wasn't.

That was when Y/n pulled him out.

"Yes." Will answered, now shaking.

Joyce listened intently, desperately trying to understand. She was now feeling the fear her son was as he spoke.

"What does it want?" She stuttered.

It had chased him down the hallway at school. He couldn't get the image out of his head as no matter how fast he ran the dark shadow followed him.

Will shook his head, tears clouding his vision.

"I don't know. It came for me, and..." Tears streamed down his face as he said the words out loud.

He was no longer looking at his mother but past her, miles and miles away as he relieved that terrible moment.

《•••》

Will gathered all his courage, tears brimming in his eyes and he cried out.

"Go away!"

《•••》

"I tried. I tried to make it go away,''he sobbed.

Joyce brought a shaky hand up to her mouth to cover her quivering lip, trying to be strong for her son.

She was wrong before, this is what truly broke her heart was knowing the tremendous horrors her son was going through.

《•••》

The monster bellowed, and one large tentacle began twirling down onto the ground, the size of a small tornado. The swirling gust of black fog engulfed Will.

He stood frozen, now trapped in the swirling fog. Several black tendrils spawned from the mass and invaded will and he could feel the evil presence as it possessed his body and settled in his very soul.

《•••》

"But it got me, Mom." He cried, his whole body wracked with sobs.

Joyce swallowed sons of her own and put a gentle hand on his.

"What does that mean?" She gently urged.

"I felt it..." His voice had broken and he struggled to talk through the sobs. "everywhere."

His voice fell into a shaky whisper. "Everywhere."

《•••》

He felt every essence of warmth cease to be, and all that existed was icy darkness.

《•••》

"I-I still feel it." He croaked. "I just want this to be over."

Joyce pulled him in for a hug and cradled him, and he collapsed into her arms, sobs still shaking his body. She rubbed his back and stroked the back of his head whispering encouragement in his ear.

"It's okay. It's okay. Hey," she cooed.

She placed her palms on either side of his face and brought him to look her in the eye.

"Listen. Look, look at me."

He sniffled several times, face pink and tearstained from crying.

"I will never, ever let anything bad happen to you ever again." She said firmly.

She stroked his cheek with her thumb, head still between her hands. She looked him right in the eye.

"Whatever's going on in you, we're gonna fix it. I will fix. I promise. I'm here."

He shuddered and collapsed into her arms once more, his face nestled in the crook of her neck and she lovingly stroked his hair, something that always helped calm him.

Still embracing her son, her eyes fell to the drawing and she looked at the figure on the paper with malice. Burning a hole in it with her eyes, disgusted and utterly repulsed by the creature, ready to do anything for her son.

×××

The sun had set over the trees, leaving the sky a vibrant pink. Darkness fell over the woods but it wasn't a problem to El. She still found her way, not to mention the dread of possibly facing Hopper more than kept her mind busy on the long walk back.

Sure enough, the cabin was just ahead and she stopped when she saw the silhouette of Hopper in front of the window. He was leaning against the railing and smoking, waiting for her, knowing she'd be back. Soft yellow light from the curtains made out his figure.

She stared at him, taking a deep breath. He stepped forward, putting out his cigarette in the ashtray outside. He could see her from there, her small figure emerging from the shadows, her face illuminated by a patch of moonlight.

In that moment they both knew, they both preparing themselves for another big fight.

Here goes nothing.

She stepped over the tripwire and made her way to the front porch. Stomping up the stairs and never giving him a second glance she walked into the living room, Hopper storming after her.

He slammed the door behind him, and El made her across the living room.

"'Friends don't lie.' Isn't that your bullshit saying?" He asked fuming, discarding his hat on the kitchen table.

She walked into her room, reaching for the door and tried to slam it shut.

"Hey, hey! Hey!" He ran to the door, catching it before it could close, and pushed it open. "Don't walk away from me!"

She turned around at her bed, looking him in the eye and staring him down, showing him she was just as angry.

He stood in the doorway, not backing down and glaring at her just as hard.

"Where'd you go on your little field trip, huh?"

She shed her coat angrily and tossed it on the bed as he spoke in a low but low and angered tone. She didn't answer.

"Where?" He asked louder.

She turned, not meeting his eye.

"Did you go see Mike?" He asked.

This time she did look him in the eye, and she remembered the girl she saw him with. How she made him laugh and smile. And how much it crushed her.

"He didn't see me."

Before she could work up the courage to tell him about Y/n he pushed himself off the doorframe and trudged into her room.

"Yeah, well, that mother and her daughter did and they called the cops." He put his hand on the bedpost at the end of her bed, leaning on it, and glared at her.

"Now, did anyone else see you? Anyone at all?"

The familiar pit in her stomach formed, almost scared to tell him. She hadn't felt like that in a long time. Since that place.

She must have waited too long because he began shouting at her, impatient.

"Come on, I need you to think!"

"Y/n, alright?" She hissed at him, snapping at his tone.

She looked to the floor, avoiding his stone cold gaze.

"Y/n? Y/n saw you?"

She stayed quiet, silently fuming.

He ran a hand down his face, sharply exhaling as he processed the information.

"Do you have any idea what you've done?" He asked, his voice began to rise as he continued. "The danger you've put us in? Put her in-?"

"YES!" She roared, snapping at him and he quieted, still glaring at her.

She was panting with fury, and it quickly melted into sadness.

"I'm alive," She said. "That's all she knows."

"That's still dangerous!"

"I know!" She bellowed.

He said nothing and walked over to the dresser and leaned on it, still silently fuming.

"She promised not to tell. I made her promise." Her voice faltered ever so slightly, threatening to break.

"How could you be so reckless?" He spit.

She pointed to him accusingly. "You promised..." He voice broke fully now, choking on her sobs. "I go! And I never leave! Nothing ever happens!"

"Yeah! Nothing happens and you stay safe!" He yelled, slamming his hand on the dresser, rattling the lamp that stood on it.

She flinched at his outburst, and he puts his elbow on the dresser, resting his head in his hands.

"You lie!" She screamed.

"I don't lie!" He snapped. "I protect and I feed and I teach! And all I ask of you is that you follow three simple rules. Three rules. And you know what? You can't even do that!"

He was almost towering over as he screamed. Then he turned on his heels and stormed out of the room.

She looked around her room and stomped, not used to having this much anger built up in her.

"You're grounded." She could hear him go into the kitchen. "And you know what that means?"

"It means no Eggos..." she listens as he rummages through the freezer and throws stuff out, and slamming the fridge door. "And no TV for a week."

She steps outside her room and watches him reach the TV and bend over. But she already has a hold of it."

He tries to pull it back but it doesn't budge. He gives it another tug but it still doesn't move. He looks over to see El, head tilted down and blood begins to drip from her nose.

Sighing sharply he stands up.

"All right, knock it off. Let go."

Head still tilted in concentration, she glares at him and shakes her head no.

He bends down and using all his might he pulls at it. It still doesn't move. He stands back up, looking at her.

"Okay. Two weeks."

He tries again to no avail.

"Let go!" He yells.

She shakes her head once more.

"A month!" He snaps.

"No!" She says firmly.

He just looks at her.

"Well, congratulations." He says, eyes still locked on her he starts backing up.

"You just graduated from no TV for a month to no TV at all!" He reaches behind the set and yanked out the wire connecting the TV to the wall.

The screen goes dark and she grows furious and fearful, while he throws the wire down and storms across the room.

"No!" She runs for the TV, and attempts to move the antenna, a trick he had showed her to get it to work but nothing happens. "No! No. No!" She cries.

Hopper, who is on the other side of the room, leans against wall exasperated.

"You have got to understand that there are consequences to your actions."

She whips her head around accusingly.

"You are like Papa!" She screams venomously.

"Really?" He scoffs, running a hand down his face. "I'm like that psychotic son of a bitch?"

She just stares at him, glaring daggers at him as he continues.

"Wow! All right. You wanna go back to the lab? One phone call and I can make that happen."

She shakes her head in disbelief, tears pooling in her eyes.

"I hate you." She spits tearfully.

He shrugs.

"Yeah, well, I'm not so crazy about you, either. You know why?" He takes a step forward. "'Cause you're a brat. You know what that word means? How about that be your word for the day, huh? Brat."

He reaches for the dictionary and grabs it, pretending to flip through it.

"Why don't we look it up? B-R-A-T. Brat." He tosses it at her and she stops it mid air, her hand out.

She shook her head in disgust and pulls her arm back. The book reels back in sync with her arm and suddenly it goes flying across the room.

He deflects it, slapping it away with his hand and he looks at her in shock.

"Hey! What the hell is wrong with you?"

He begins walking towards her and El out of pure instinct blocks his path by sending the couch into his legs, knocking him off balance and stopping him before he could reach her.

"Hey!"

She stomps into her room, throwing her arm behind her and the bookshelf near the wall is thrown to the ground.

He stalks after her, limping slightly from the couch and he watches as she stomps into her room.

The last thing he sees is El looking over her shoulder as she throws her other arm back and the green wooden door slams shut.

He pounds on the door, not done yelling at her and he tries to open the door. But she was keeping it locked.

He pounded his palms against the wood and yelled. "Open this door!"

El stands in front of her window, and collapses again the wall, slowly sliding down onto the floor as tears began to flow freely.

"Open the damn door!" He yelled from the other side.

She cried harder, feet tucked into her chest and she felt all the anger and frustration, sadness and utter helplessness building up inside her. And it only increased with every scream from Hopper. Every pound to the door.

"You wanna go out in the world? You better grow up!"

She had never felt so helpless. She never remembered ever being this frustrated and lost.

"Grow the hell up!"

Every emotion bubbled up to the surface. All those times she wished herself out of the cabin. All those times she missed Mike and couldn't see him. How alone she felt in this moment. All her sadness, all of her anger. It all boiled over and she screamed, pounding her fists and she screamed so hard she felt her throat go raw.

All the windows in the cabin shattered and Hopper was sprinkled in tiny shards of glass.

Hopper looked around in shock. Astounded by the damage her psychic tantrum had caused.

She collapsed into the corner between the bookshelf and the wall, sobs shaking her body.

×××

By the time Jonathan got home it was dark outside. He stepped into his house expecting some source of light, but there was none.

Usually someone was up at this hour which is what worried him. He would have been more worried if his mom's car wasn't parked outside but he was still suspicious.

He walked down the hallway, looking for any light to be pooling from under any of the doors.

"Hello?" He called softly.

He opened his mom's room first, it opened but he before he could step inside he noticed the bed was empty.

He turned to face Will's room. And his pulse quickened ever so slightly. Ever since the incident last year and especially since Will had been having those episodes he was worried about him.

He turned the doorknob slowly and stopped abruptly.

His mother was curled up on Will's bed with him. He was tucked safely in her arms, his hand over her arm that was held protectively over his middle.

Jonathan felt relieved and for a brief moment wished he had his camera.

He closed the door behind him, failing to see his brother's eyelids twitching feverishly like they had on the field.

The shadow monster was hard at work.


	14. Will the Wise - P2

||3rd Person POV||

"Flo?" Joyce had been phoning the police station all morning in attempts to reach the only person she thought could help. "It's Joyce, again."

"Oh, hi, Joyce. Listen, I gave him your message-"

"He's still not there?"

"No, but-"

"Did he get any of my messages from yesterday? Did you give--"

Joyce began pacing slightly, twirling the phone cord anxiously in her fingers.

"No, no, I need Hopper. Just tell him to call me the second he gets in. Please... Thank you."

She shoves the phone angrily in its place, reaching up she grabbed the bridge of her nose, pinching it to calm her nerves. The stress was already getting to her.

She heard a small patter of footsteps approaching, and she put on a happy face.

"Hey. How you feeling, sleepyhead?" She brushed Will's bangs aside and ruffled his hair slightly. "Any better?"

Will, still groggy from sleep, shook his head with a grunt.

"Same as last night? Still weird?" She asked gently.

He took a seat at the kitchen table and she knelt down in front of him. Pushing the strands of hair aside, she felt for his temperature expecting a small fever. However, she hadn't picked up on anything and she figured she must need a more accurate reading.

She returned shortly with the glass thermometer and took a seat opposite him. Will sat patiently with the thermometer under his tongue and tried his best not to move it.

Joyce kept a close eye on the time, glancing up occasionally from her watch. Finally, she pulled the glass stick out from Will's mouth and was shocked to see the results.

She frowned as the red line stayed firmly at 95°. Will, who noticed her expression spoke up.

"Is it a fever?"

She shook her head, confusion still written all over her face.

"No. Uh, actually, it's cold. Do you feel cold?"

"No. Just a little out of it." He replied, speaking slowly. "Like I haven't really woken up yet."

She looked at him quizzically, racking her brain trying to figure out what it could be.

Will, who misinterpreted her expression grew defensive.

"You promised no doctor."

She smiled warmly, and shook her head softly.

"And I meant it. No doctor," Will visibly relaxed at his mother's words. "You know what? I'm gonna run you a nice bath and it'll warm you up and hopefully get you feeling better. How's that sound? Okay?"

Joyce reached out and patted his hand gently before standing and heading into the bathroom, missing the involuntary uneasy expression her son wore.

×××

"Morning, Dart" Dustin chirped, having ripped off the sheet he had covered his terrarium with.

Dustin had waited until his sister left for school to talk to his new companion. Coincidentally, he didn't have to wait long, his sister seemed to be in an awful hurry to get to school early.

Taking off the lid, he sprinkled little chunks of nougat into the terrarium. Dart happily started nibbling.

"I gotta go to school, but I'll be back soon. Sound good?"

Dart looked up at Dustin, and chittered happily in agreement, crumbs of nougat falling from his face.

Dustin smiled in return. He placed the sheet back over the glass, forgetting to put the top back on and he left for school.

×××

Dustin parked his bike in his usual spot next to Y/n's. His eyes scanned the bike rack, and sure enough, he recognized the usual models that belonged to his friends, parked in their usual spot. But where were his friends?

They were nowhere in sight, not that Dustin could see anyway. He stood, turning this way and that scanning the campus but saw only the nameless figures of his schoolmates.

Just then he heard a familiar voice drift from the ally that led behind the school.

"Stop being a baby and do it already!"

It was Mike.

Following the noise all the way on the side of the school, he heard accompanying voices grow louder, and he finally found himself at the dumpster on the side of the school.

"This is disgusting. Is this really necessary?" Max asked, leaning on a long poking stick like the others had.

"I know, it stinks. Literally, but we can't be too careful, we have to find him." Y/n said.

There stood Max, Mike and Y/n. They tore their eyes away from the dumpster, towards Dustin.

Rustling was coming from the dumpster.

"What the hell's going on?" Dustin asked.

"What do you think? We're looking for Dart." Mike said.

Suddenly, a large black trash bag came flying out of the dumpster, narrowly missing Dustin.

"Jesus!" Dustin exclaimed jumping back, rather startled.

Another bag went flying, more garbage flew out from the large metal bin soon followed by a very disgusted and very much peeved Lucas.

He grunted as he landed on his feet from his jump.

"Well, well, well," Lucas drawled, glaring at Dustin. "Look who finally decided to show up. After I drew the short straw. Real convenient."

"Yeah, where the hell were you Dustin? You said you were right behind me," Y/n asked confused, referring to her earlier encounter with her brother.

Max gagged slightly and walked over to stand in between Y/n and Dustin.

"You stink!" She said, referring to Lucas.

Dustin smirked at Max, extra friendly, clearly happy she had joined him by his side.

"Hi, Max."

She looked at him wearily and slowly responded.

"Uh, hi?"

Dustin didn't seem to notice this but Y/n and Max shared a look, Y/n was trying not to giggle.

That is, until Dustin spoke up.

"Where's Will?"

"I tried reaching him, but I couldn't get thro-" Y/n was then cut off by Mike.

"He'll be here." He said, matter of factly.

Y/n gave Mike an incredulous look, baffled and offended by his short temper with her.

'What the hell, was his problem?' She thought.

Whether he sensed the tension growing between the two friends and wanted to change the topic or he just didn't notice, Lucas addressed Dustin before anything else could be said.

"So, what, are you just gonna stand there?"

Lucas tossed an identical looking poking stick to Dustin who caught it.

"Or you gonna help?"

Y/n, who was trying desperately to put aside her growing anger, huffed and looked to her brother.

"I'm surprised at you, I thought you'd be jumping at every chance to find him. Given how much of a fuss you made,"

It came out as more of a question than an accusation but Dustin was defensive nonetheless.

"Of course, I am! Why would you say that?"

They each gave him a curious look, taken aback by his sudden behavior.

"Ok-ay then," Max said suddenly, breaking the confusing tension and silence. "Well, let's just get this over with then,"

The five children began poking at the overflowing trash backs that lay before them with each of their long sticks.

They didn't find anything in their search, aside from a cockroach that wiggled it's way out of the plastic bag.

It was heading right for Y/n, who jumped out of the way, yelping in surprise and disgust.

"All living things, from complex mammals to single-celled organisms, instinctively respond to danger."

The cockroach scuttled away in fright, having been suddenly disturbed and kicked out of his previous feeding ground.

×××

"...Expose a bacterium to a toxic chemical, and it will flee."

Y/n sat in her usual spot, slumping slightly in her one person desk, fiddling with her worn out eraser, something she normally did to get her through class when something was on her mind.

Still half listening to Mr. Clarke, she couldn't help but think about Will. She glanced over to her right, staring sadly at the empty seat of her absent best friend.

"Or deploy some other defense mechanism."

Her eyebrows furrowed, her eyes practically burning holes into the empty wooden seat that belonged to Will, getting lost in thought.

The scene felt all too familiar...

×××

Will stiffly crept into the bathroom, everything in him was hesitating, his instincts screaming at him not to.

"We're very much the same."

He had already changed into a towel that hung around his waist. The steam hit his exposed skin, it felt as if it stung him.

His heart began to pound.

If he had glanced down at his chest and looked hard enough he would be able to see the subtle pumping of his heart from the blood that coursed through his veins violently.

"When we encounter danger, our hearts start pounding."

His movements grew slower as he reached the bathtub. He approached it like it was a sleeping lion that could wake up and pounce at any sudden movement or noise.

Will felt his palms grow sweaty. He could feel his hands shaking violently, though he tried to stop it.

Every single drop of water that fell from the faucet with a plink, sounded to him as loud as a gunshot.

Beads of sweat covered his entire body. Enough had accumulated at his forehead that his bangs had dampened and clung to his skin.

"These are the signs of physical and emotional state we call..."

Every muscle in his body was tense, and he was now dripping with sweat. But the most overwhelming sensation was the sharp prickling of his skin at the back of his neck, where every hair stood on end.

"fear."

×××

"Hey, you reached Jim," Joyce sighed heavily into the phone at the answering machine she had been getting all day.

Having heard it countless times in the past hour, she slammed the button on the machine, hanging it up.

"Mom,"

Quickly she hung the phone back on the wall and turned to her son.

"Yeah, sweetie, what is it?"

"It's too hot." He said it as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

With a slight frown, she walked into the bathroom, Will trailing behind her but stopped suddenly, refusing to enter the bathroom.

She heard the familiar deep gurgling of the bath water circling the drain.

He had already drained it.

She took a seat on the edge of the tub, testing the remaining few inches with her fingers.

It wasn't as hot as he made it seem.

"I... I can cool it down a little bit, baby, but we gotta get your body temp back up."

"No." He snapped, his tone strict and sudden.

She did a double take at her son, he had never sounded more unlike himself and she looked at him in shock.

"What?"

His stance never wavered and he only looked her dead in the eye.

"He likes it cold."

She stared at him, completely appalled and he suddenly blinked several times.

Looking as if he pulled himself out of a long thought. He blinked a couple times and then retreated into the hallway.

×××

Hopper was putting the finishing touches on the windows.

Having spent the night in the frigid cold due to the shattered windows in the cabin. He had gotten up early and collected as many wooden planks as he could, boarding up the windows until he could get them fixed properly.

He had just turned around from the window he had just finished when he saw El peeking out from behind her green wooden door.

He stopped and met her eye. Her face still hardened into a glare, she slammed her door shut and Hopper trudged over and stood outside her room.

"Hey, kid." He didn't quite know what to say, but he knew he felt partially guilty.

Having said things he didn't mean. But he was still angry with her.

She stood directly on the other side of the door, her mask of anger gone, and she stared tentatively at the door.

Hopper reached his hand to the door, ready to knock but thought different of it. Instead, he leaned against the frame and reached for his outstretched hand and began fiddling with the familiar blue bracelet that he never took off.

"Listen, um... about last night, I, uh..."

El listened from the other side of the door, hoping he would say the words she had so desperately hoped he would say.

Hopper quieted for a moment, the words getting stuck in his throat. He panicked, and the emotions he felt at the words that were exchanged the previous night came flooding back to him and he bit his lip.

"I want this place cleaned up by the time I get back and then maybe I'll consider fixing the TV"

El turned away from the door, her heart sinking. Moments ago she would have perked up at hearing the TV - her favorite source of entertainment that got her through the days - would possibly be fixed.

And yet, as she waited to hear the retreating footsteps outside her room, followed by the front door slamming shut, El felt disappointed and... alone.

×××

"Come in, Hop," Hopper stepped into his truck, sighing at the insistent voice that came from his radio. "Come in, Hop"

Grunting, he grabbed the speaker, he spoke gruffly.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm on my way in, and yes, I do know what time it is."

He set the speaker down, reaching inside his breast pocket for a pack of cigarettes.

"Joyce Byers has called eight times already this morning,"

Hopper faltered, eyes dropping the radio in concern.

"Eight times,"

Hopper eagerly stuck a cigarette between his lips, needing one now more than ever.

"For my sake, please deal with her!"

Sticking his keys in the ignition, he turned it roughly. The engine roared to life, and Hopper mentally prepared for the worst.


	15. Will the Wise - P3

||3rd Person POV||

"Hello?"

Hopper had already been worried when he heard Joyce had called for him eight times that morning. But showing up at their house to find front door wide open and the house seemingly empty, that was enough to scare him.

Thankfully, he heard Joyce's shaky voice call from down the hall.

"Leave it open."

Taking off his hat, he stepped into the living room, Joyce came pacing in from the other room. She wore a thick wool sweater that she kept wrapped tightly around her body, and she had a lit cigarette in one hand, ashtray in another.

"Where the hell have you been?" She whispered harshly.

Hopper looked around the room, scanning for possible signs of distress.

"I overslept. What the hell's going on? It's freezing."

She beckoned him forward, placing the ashtray down on the table in the hallway, putting out her cigarette before leading Hopper down the hall.

"Hey! Knock, knock." Her tone was softer as she made their presence known to Will.

She slowly opened his bedroom door and stepped inside, revealing Hopper.

"We have a visitor."

Will was sitting on the edge of his bed, his back to them. He was uncharacteristically stiff, and perfectly upright. He was looking straight ahead, and he declined to acknowledge their presence.

He was perfectly still and unmoving.

×××

"So this thing, this shadow thing," 

Hopper was sat next to Will on his bed, looking at the drawing Will had made of the shadow monster, and Joyce's tracing from the tape of Halloween, side by side.

Joyce had taken a seat next to them.

"You told your mom it likes it like this. It likes it cold?"

Will looked at the drawing then looked away, when he spoke, his voice was barely above a whisper.

"Yeah."

Joyce sat wringing her hands, unable to hide her worry for her son as she listened.

"How do you know that?" Hopper asked gently.

Will shrugged his shoulders.

"I just know."

Hopper stared tentatively at the drawing, while Will looked at it in slight fear.

He couldn't shake the feeling that he had to be careful about what he shared, like he would be listening.

"Does he talk to you?" Hopper asked again.

Will shook his head slightly.

"No. It's like..." he quickly sighed. "I don't have think. I just know things now. Things I never did before."

Joyce looked to Hopper, anxiously awaiting his reaction.

"And, uh..."

The man stood, and took a step forward. He sighed, turning around before taking a seat at Will's desk, and facing them.

"what else do you know?" He asked.

Will looked as if he was searching his brain for the right words.

"It's hard to explain. It's like old memories in the back of my head, only... they're not my memories."

Will had begun to tear up.

"Okay," he said, encouraging him to continue.

"I mean, I don't think they're old memories at all. They're... they're now-memories, happening all at once, now." His voice cracked, and they could hear the frog in his throat.

"Can you describe these now-memories?"

Will saw the familiar flashes of vines. The dark and dampened tunnels that stretched and weaved through his mind.

"I don't know. It's... it's hard to explain."

"I know it's hard," Joyce soothed, wrapping her arms around her son. "but can you just... Can you try? For us?"

Will's face reddened as tears brimmed his eyes, threatening to fall. His body began to shake slightly as well as his voice.

"It's like..." He saw the tunnels again." they're growing and spreading..."

His voice broke and it came out in a harsh whisper as he trembled.

"killing."

He saw the visions. Like he was navigating the dark and cold tunnels, they never stopped moving and he knew they were out to kill.

"The memories?" Joyce asked quietly.

"I don't know," Will sobbed, and single tear escaped his eye and he collapsed into his mother's arms. "I'm sorry!"

"No, no, no," Joyce cooed, hugging him tight and gently stroking his hair. "It's okay, sweetie."

She looked to Hopper gauging his reaction before her eyes fell on Will's wall behind him.

Particularly, the drawing of Will had made last summer of him and Y/n, more specifically, their dnd characters.  
Will the Wise and Y/C/N.

It gave her an idea.

"Hey, hey sweetie..." Will pulled back to look at his mom, tears stained his pink cheeks. "what if you didn't have to use words?"

×××

Will sat at his desk, soft yellow light spilling onto his desk illuminating his pile of lined paper and crayons.

He grabbed a blue crayon and his hand flew across the paper as he drew feverishly.

Joyce and Hopper stood back, watching him at work, too distracted to hear the phone ringing from down the hall.

||Reader's POV||

"Hey, you've reached the Byers. We're sorry..." sighing, I hung up the phone harshly and but my lip.

Me and Mike fought over who got to use the public phone in the school yard to call Will and check on him.

I yelled at him in my fit of worry and he reluctantly backed off. For once.

"Still not answering?" Mike asked from my side.

I turned swiftly on my heel to look at him.

"Nothing!" I rub my eyes, taking deep breaths trying to prevent the anxiety from creeping back up.

"Shit!" He hissed.

I look at him oddly and he sighs, and gestured to the others.

"Come on, we need to have another party meeting."

I give him a worried look and he looked at me urgently, raising his voice and began running in the direction of the others.

"Now! Come on!"

Snapping out of it, I follow and Lucas calls to us from his spot on the landing.

"Anything?"

"We need to talk. AV room. Right now."

We both headed up the stairs, and Dustin and Max rise from where they were sitting on the steps.

Mike looks over his shoulder and sent Max a venomous look.

"Party members only!" He sneered, and she took a step back, obviously hurt.

"Come on, Mike." Dustin urged.

"No! This is non-negotiable."

I gave him a nasty look.

"Oh, get your head out of your ass, Mike! You don't have to be such a dick about it." I snapped.

Everyone seemed taken aback, including Max. Reluctantly, he retreated inside and the others followed.

"Sorry, Max." Dustin mumbled.

"Yeah, sorry." Lucas added.

The two boys followed Mike inside and I lingered by the door, turning to Max.

"Let me guess, you're really sorry but I can't go in because it's super important and life-threatening. Something like that, right?" She asked, though he face didn't match her angry tone.

I sighed, nodding.

"Something like that. I really am sorry, but I think it's about Will, and I... I'm sorry, I just have to."

I gave her an honest sympathetic smile and turned, reaching for the door.

"Y/n?"

I paused, looking over my shoulder at her, showing I was listening.

Max seemed reluctant but she spoke up finally.

"Thanks... for standing up for me I mean. I know you're trying."

I smiled sadly, nodding my head.

"Of course."

And then I slipped inside.

×××

We met up in the AV room, and we all took a seat. Mike was on the desk next to me while Dustin and Lucas got to the two comfortable chairs first.

"Will didn't want me to tell anyone, but on Halloween night he saw sort of a shadow in the sky."

Lucas beat me to the question.

"A shadow?"

Mike nodded.

"Well, what do you mean by a shadow?" I asked.

"I don't know. But it scared him. And if Will really has True Sight... I mean if he can really see into the Upside Down,"

"Then what he saw on the field..." I trailed off, looking at the floor.

"Was the same shadow." He concluded.

"Maybe."

"Can it hurt him?" Lucas asked. "I mean, if this shadow thing isn't from our world..."

"I'm not sure. Dustin?" Mike asked.

"Well, if you're in another plane, you can't interact with the material plane, so theoretically, no, the shadow can't hurt him."

"Yeah, if that's even what's happening. This isn't D & D. This is real life."

"True, but..." I shook my head slightly, unable to get the image of his episode out of my head. "Yesterday, he was so... different."

My vision blurred but I swallowed the lump in my throat. I looked tearfully at my feet.

I'm hurt that he didn't tell me, but I understand he needed space. I just wish he could've said it to my face directly instead of making me feel lonely and scared for him.

"So what do we do?" Lucas asked, breaking the silence.

"We acquire more knowledge." Mike said firmly. "I'll go to Will's after school. See what's going on. You guys stay here and look for Dart."

I looked up at Mike, brows furrowed.

"Then I'll go with you." I stated, sitting up.

He looked at me as if he would snap at me again, but it disappeared and he sighed.

"No, stay here and lo-"

"No, Mike." I said, cutting him off. "No, you're not gonna push me away again. I need to see him. Tell him I'm here for him. Actually be there for him. You're not gonna bully me out of it this time."

He sighed, a guilty look flashed across his face.

"I haven't been trying to bully you. And, I'm sorry for being a jerk."

I nodded in thanks, and he continued.

"but he didn't tell you specifically, because he didn't want to worry you. He knew you'd get stressed and overthink it"

I chuckled weakly, breaking the small beat of silence and I looked at him, shaking my head.

"Well, jokes on him because I'm always stressed and overthinking things."

Everyone laughed weakly, and my chest warmed up. Mike and I met each others eye and we each smiled in understanding and relief. The past behind us.

"Okay," Dustin spoke up, gesturing between us. "Not that I'm not happy this little make up is happening, and super relieved, cause frankly this is long overdue, but Mike what does Dart have to do with all this?"

Mike looked back at Dustin, and his face hardened.

"Will said he heard him in the Upside Down. I don't know how yet, but he's gotta be connected to all this. He's gotta be."

He stood up and the rest of us followed suit. Mike looked between all of us.

"If we find Dart, maybe we can solve this thing. Maybe we can help Will."

||3rd Person POV||

At the cabin, El sat in front of the TV, fiddling with it hoping she could get it to work, but to no avail.

She sighed sadly, and stood up from her spot on the ground. She peeked behind the TV set and picked up the cord, twirling the frayed end slightly as she examined it.

She had no idea how she could ever plug it back in and she threw it to the ground in frustration.

She looked around at the mess she had unintentionally made in her fit of anger the previous night.

El's eyes fell on the dictionary that played sprawled open by her feet.

The one she had thrown at Hopper.

It had large chunks of glass were piled on the cover and she carefully picked it up. The glass shards fell and she held it closed in front of her before gently blowing the dust off of the cover.

She had to start somewhere. But she didn't have a spot to put it.

She focused on the bookcase next. She firmly planted her feet, focusing squarely on the fallen bookshelf and it gently rose up back into place against the wall.

El returned all the items to their proper place on the shelf. Puzzles and books alike.

She got to sweeping next. Remembering how Hopper had showed her.

The cabin was already coming back together, she had swept away most of the debris and was getting the last of the larger shards.

El moved the chair back slightly with her foot to reach some stray glass, she swept the larger shards. She had to repeat a few times when one piece wasn't budging. She noticed it was caught, wedged between a small gap between the floorboards.

Only then did she notice how deep the gap went, and there was more glass hidden beneath.

There was a false board.

Never taking her eyes off the floor, she flicked her head sending the chair backwards.

She let the broom drop to the ground and she bend over, discarding the shard and looping her finger into the gap and pulled.

Surprisingly, she had no trouble. A large trapdoor opened up and she peered inside, but could hardly see anything.

Having grabbed a flashlight, El layed on her stomach, poking her head through the trapdoor, and the dim light of the flashlight fell across many labeled boxes.

It was a storage area.

She was disinterested, seeing labels with words she only partially recognized.

That is, until she her eyes landed on a box that was labeled,

HAKWINS LAB

×××

El grunted as she climbed back up onto the floor, having just retrieved the HAWKINS LAB box. It now lay on the floor before her.

What could he possibly have in this box?

She had no idea he even had information on them.

Her heart pulse quickened and she opened up the lid. One of the first thing she spotted was a yellow folder. She recognized what it was. Lots of people at the lab carried these around.

Curious, she opened it and began reading.

She scanned the many documents enclosed inside, there were plenty of big words she didn't recognize but beyond that she soon lost interest.

However, a single word caught her on the folder below it. It was a word she was often called in the lab.

She picked up the folder, it was light but it had many papers spilling from it. But that wasn't what drew her to it, nor was how old it seemed in comparison to the others. It was the label.

The original text had been crossed out, several times in fact to a point where El couldn't make out what it had originally said. Several things had been scratched in but the only text that wasn't crossed out was written hastily. It read,

SUBJECT 009: THE MISSING EXPERIMENT


	16. Will the Wise - P4 - FINAL

Warnings: Abusive behavior. Racism. Animal death

||3rd Person POV||

Will continued to draw, never faltering. And his movements never slowed.

Several sheets of paper, with similar purple and blue features.

The second he was done, he would swiftly swipe the drawing behind him and it would land on the floor like the others. Not unlike a printer would.

Joyce grabbed a handful and returned through to the living room, where Hop sat, looking at a handful of Will's drawings himself.

"This is more of the same," she said, joining him on the couch.

"Oh, it's nothing. It's just scribbles."

The pages they held before them, as well as the ones still being made in Will's room usually featured a black page with some variant of purple-blue sections. Ranging from corner to corner, corner to side, bottom to side, top to corner and so forth. Some of them were just pure purple and blue.

"Wait," Joyce had caught sight of the drawing Hopper was currently looking at. "Wait."

"What? What?"

"Wait. These black lines, see?"

She held up one of the several drawings she possessed up to Hopper.

Hopper was still confused.

"What?"

The drawing she held matched perfectly with the one in his hands.

"They connect. They connect!"

×××

Hopper had now pushed aside all the furniture in the living room, opening up space for the drawings.

They grabbed more piles and scattered the drawing all over the floor, matching piece after piece.

Finally, the duo stood, marveling at the large intricate design the pictures had made. They were sprawled out all over the room, so much so in fact that they twisted and curled and began creeping up the walls.

"Does this mean anything to you?" Hopper asked.

Joyce scoffed, gesturing to the work before them. "No."

"I mean, is it some kind of maze or a road?" She wondered.

They began wandering around the room, careful as to not step on the drawings.

"I-I mean, it's sort of forking and branching like... like lightning." She gestured to the many twists and turns below her feet.

"You think it's that storm?" He asked, referring to the drawing.

"No, the storm he drew was completely different. He used red." She said, certain about her son's artistic patterns. "And this is all blue and it has some sort of weird dirt color. I mean, maybe it's roots."

"'Cause remember," she continued, lost in thought. "he was saying it was spreading and--"

"killing." He finished. "he said they were killing."

Hopper felt his chest sink at the words. Familiarity tugging at his mind. He hoped he was wrong. But he was almost certain he wasn't.

"Vines." Joyce looked to Hopper just as he retreated to the front door, gathering his things. "He's drawing vines."

×××

The bell rang harshly, signaling the end of the school day. Just as he had hoped, Lucas found Max at her locker.

"Hey, Max. Have you seen Dustin? We're supposed to meet after class."

Max slammed her locker door and stomped away.

Lucas frowned and called after her. He chased her trailed after her, and it wasn't until they reached the steps outside the school that she answered.

"Hey, Max! Hey, where are you going? Come on! We've gotta go look for Dart."

"Yeah, good luck with that." She spits, not looking back.

Max made it to the parking lot when Lucas finally caught back up to her.

"What is wrong with you?"

"What's wrong with me?" She scoffed. "What's wrong with you?"

She brushed a stray piece of hair from her eyes angrily as she walked.

"I don't understand!"

Max whirled around on her heels, looking at Lucas for the first time in the conversation.

"No! I don't understand!" She shouted, and Lucas jumped back slightly. "You guys act like you want me to be your friend but then you just treat me like garbage!"

"That's not true!" He said defensively.

She scoffed and nodded.

"Actually, you're right," she smiled, and Lucas briefly relaxed.

Her face quickly hardened once more.

"Y/n hasn't. She's the only one of you jerks that have actually been nice to me. The only one who's making an effort to get me in the party. But, ya know what? Tell her I said thanks but she doesn't have to try anymore. I don't want to be in your stupid party anyway."

Lucas tried to find words but Max stopped him before he cod say anything.

"All you guys do is lock yourselves in the AV room keeping secrets like we're in second grade or something. You know, I thought you actually wanted me in your party."

"I do. But it's..."

"But what?"

He sighed, at a loss for words.

"There... there are just things. Things we can't tell you, all right? For your own safety."

"My own safety?" She repeated, fuming.

"Yes!"

"Because I'm a girl?"

"What? No! Why would you think that? Y/n's in the party."

"Yeah, do you keep secrets from her too? Or El?" She asked, her voice lowered but was still hostile.

Lucas stiffened.

"How do you know about El?"

"Did you?" She pressed.

"That was different. Trust me. Okay? That was just... different."

"Okay. You know what? Forget it. Have a nice life."

Max spun around and stomped away, ignoring his cries if protest.

"You still stink by the way!"

Lucas's heart sank as he watched Max walk away. He frowned and hesitantly brought his sleeve to his nose.

He recoiled at the stench.

"Oh, shit!"

Max set down her skateboard and stepped on. Besides one little push, she let gravity do its work and she steadily rolled down across the parking lot towards her stepbrothers car.

Unbeknownst to her, he had watched the whole exchange.

When she approached the car she hopped off her skateboard and tucked it back under her arm. Billy pushed off from where he was leaning against the hood and he stormed around to the driver's side door.

"That kid you were talking to, who is he?"

"He's no one."

"No one?"

"This kid from class." She replied impatiently.

She got in the passenger side but Billy lingered, glaring at Lucas as he looked in their direction in curiosity.

Billy narrowed his eyes and got in the front seat, slamming the door behind him.

He placed a cigarette between his lips and he lit it. Staring ahead, he took a puff and held it out the window as he rested his arm.

"Why was he talking to you?" He asked lowly.

"It was just about a stupid class assignment." She muttered.

His jaw clenched and he fidgeted with the cigarette at the end of his fingertips.

"Then why are you so upset?"

"I'm not!"

"He causing you trouble?"

"Why do you care?" She snapped, looking at him.

"Because, Max, you're a piece of shit, but we're family now whether we like it or not meaning I'm stuck looking after you."

She rolled her eyes and threw her arms up in a shrug.

"What would I ever do without- Hey!"

Billy grabbed her wrist tightly in his hand, his knuckles turning white. She froze in fear and he leaned in, teeth gritted.

"This is serious shit, okay? I'm older than you. And something you learn, is that there are a certain type of people in this world that you stay away from, and that kid, Max..." he tightened his grip on her wrist and tugged on it. "That kid is one of them."

Max tried to pull her arm back but he gave it a shake, his eyes burning holes in hers.

"You stay away from him, you hear me?" He growled. "Stay. Away."

He roughly shoved her arm away and returned to his cigarette, and started the engine.

Max turned to the window in an attempt to hide her tears and quivering lip.

×××

The tires of the chief's car blew sent dirt and dust flying in his tracks. The car bounced as he crossed the end of the dirt road and onto the bumpy field on the pumpkin patch.

He drove to the center of the pumpkin patch wasteland and the car swerved to an urgent stop. Hopper got out of the car and grabbed the shovel he kept in the truck bed and closed the trunk.

He walked through the fields, shovel over his shoulder to the very center of the field. He stopped when he reached the strongest patch of rot and decay, the patch where the most flies occupied.

Where everything had been killed.

Shovel in hand, he threw it into the ground and began his excavation.

×××

El started at the files before her. Familiarity tugged at the back of her mind at the words 'missing experiment'

Curious she opened it.

El frowned as she read, understanding only bits and pieces.

Before her was a collection of papers stapled together that were typed, like it belonged in the folder. On top of that were scraps of paper, one of them was a photocopy of an old news article, a small section of it highlighted, and then several handwritten notes in red ink. It looked like Hopper's handwriting, El thought. There were scribbles of red ink on several pieces of paper, off to the side with several footnotes in different articles

The first thing she examined was a piece of paper from Hopper's notepad, the one, she recognized from the Don't Be Stupid Rules. It was a messy jumble of words like he was trying to get them down on paper before he forgot. They were scribbled quickly and were barely legible.

"Another volunteer pregnant. Either escaped with kid, or escaped and gave birth?? Woman killed, daughter lived (presumably) Somewhere in Hawkins???"

El frowned, reading further, intrigued.

"Hiding?" The word was scratched out with a single line, next to the words, "she wouldn't remember."

Below that was a small bullet point list of the kid's possible traits.

"13/14 y/o female

Orphan?

Adopted?

Living on the streets?"

El's mind snagged on the familiar word, 'adopted'. She remembered when she first heard it, Mike's voice echoed in her mind.

《●●●》

"...It's funny actually, [Y/N] is from Hawkins. Or at least that's where they found her."

"...Dustin was so young he doesn't remember any of it, but I think him and his mom were visiting family here and they just... found her, I think?"

《●●●》

El's' first initial reaction was to dismiss the thought, it couldn't be Y/n. But the doubt vanished almost as soon as it came. Memories of her week with Y/n came flooding back to her mind. Granted, she often dwelled on this week, but this time was different. She looked at moments in a whole new light, and it only made sense that it could be Y/n.

《●●●》

"Oh, he was such a great student. Oh, he's going to leave a hole in the community." A boy farther down the bleachers mocked, beginning to fake sob.

Y/n began shaking, El noticed, facing the boy who spoke, visibly furious. El's eyes fell to Y/n's hands. They were gripping the bench she sat on and El noticed the hot shade of pink her friend's hands were turning.

"[Y/N]!" She heard Lucas whisper, making Y/n look at him.

"What?!" She asked.

El watched curiously as Y/n's eyes fell to her own hands and seemed shocked at their hue. Y/n's mood seemed to change drastically El noted, and then she realized Y/n was looking back at her, slightly panicked and confused. El's eyes fell to Y/n's hands one last time, knowing something peculiar happened that couldn't be easily explained.

It almost reminded her of when she used her powers for the first time...

No. It couldn't be.

She shook her head ever so slightly and remembered the word Y/n had taught her. Looking at the boy that upset Y/n, she repeated it back to her.

"Mouth breather."

Much to El's excitement, Y/n chuckled slightly and smiled at El, seeming to feel slightly better.

"Yeah." Y/n nodded. "Yeah, mouth breather."

《●●●》

El thought about that moment a lot. Y/n had always shown that she cared about her, and was truly the first real friend she ever had, besides Mike of course. But she always felt close to Y/n in a different way. A way she couldn't really explain. And she felt truly happy and proud to be the one to make her friend feel better in that moment.

It was no big feat, but to El, it meant a lot.

The only thing that came to mind to explain how she saw Y/n, was another word she had learned from Mike.

Sister.

But she supposed that's why she often overlooked the odd moment with the bench and her red hands.

Then, of course, there was that moment at the school, minutes before she said her goodbye.

It was very hazy though, and she could only remember bits and pieces. After all, she was fighting consciousness when it happened.

El never really understood how she was rescued from Papa that night.

But she did remember being knocked back slightly. And how all the bad men had been standing around her, holding her friends hostage, and then the next thing she knew everyone was on the ground. And a sense of warmth in between. She had still been awfully cold from the bath, her clothes were still slightly damp, but in between consciousness she felt a small and brief burst of warmth. She remembered thinking it felt nice on the still damp and cold dress she wore.

El realized she never really stopped to think about how they escaped. Especially when she hadn't done anything, that she could recall of course, besides getting rid of the woman that killed the nice man who fed her. And the guards with her.

Then Papa showed up. And she called out to Mike. And then the warmth.

As El dwelled on the memory more, she remembered something she didn't before. Something that was said after the warmth.

"'Surprise'" El repeated her voice barely above a whisper.

Y/n. It must have been. Y/n must be the missing experiment, she realized.

It only made sense.

She remembered how tired Y/n had been after they escaped Papa. She must drain easily like she does.

And she must have done something when they got briefly separated when they were all fleeing from the vans. That would explain why Y/n passed out.

But had known? She must not have, El thought, because she was almost certain that Y/n would have told her.

El realized she had been rereading the same sentence over and over again this whole time, as she considered these things.

Shaking her head slightly, she focused all her attention on the words once more, trying to make sense of what they meant.

It was a single sentence at the bottom of the same notepaper, in quotation marks. It was a quote.

"This baby was supposed to have some sorta,"

The words she read next, made her shiver. She couldn't quite say why, but she knew it was important.

Familiar.

"untapped potential for the greater good"

Maybe it had been one of the many things Papa and said to her to get her to work harder.

How she could be just what he was missing.

No, no that wasn't it. How she was what he had to work with.

'She would be enough.'

'They didn't need the other one.'

'Eleven had her potential.'

El hadn't realized her eyes were watering until she noticed she could barely make out the words anymore. Her vision was blurring.

Was Y/n the one Papa had been whispering about all this time when he thought she couldn't hear?

She sighed heavily, setting down the file folder down in her lap.

El looked around the room, steadying her breathing. Her eyes fell on a pinkish-red folder than sat in the box.

She set the missing experiment files down next to her, and picked up the new folder.

El realized her knees were aching so she rose to her feet, taking a seat on the couch.

"Ives. Terry." She read aloud.

She recognized the name from the small mention in the other folder. Curious, she opened it.

Not unlike the other folder, it was an organized mess of articles and files. The first one she read was in big letters and it caught her eye first.

"INDIANA WOMAN SUES D.O.A. CLAIMS CHILD WAS STOLEN"

She looked to the picture below it, and her heart ached thumped. She had no memory of ever seeing this woman but for some reason she felt like she knew her.

She turned the pages over, and found another article.

"DAUGHTER JANE TAKEN WHEN SHE WAS A BABY, IVES CLAIMS."

"Jane," she whispered.

El noticed a small handful of things, too short to be pinned in like the others, and was paper clipped to the side.

"CHILD ABDUCTIONS AGAINST HAWKINS LAB THROWN OUT."

and

"TERRY IVES SUING - 'They Took My Daughter' By Benjamin Buck"

A specific passage from this article had been highlighted and underlined more than once, like Hopper had looked over it several times.

"Ms. Ives suit seeks unspecified damages against Dr. Brenner and his facility, alleging physical abuse, sleep deprivation, malnourishment, and multiple allegations of kidnapping both attempted and successful..."

Next to it was another note from Hopper.

A question of his had been crossed out, and statement was written beside it, as if he answered it.

"Attempted and successful? 'Attempted' must be missing experiment."

El was about to flip the page when she noticed a small corner peeking out from under those two articles. Placing one hand on the files, she grabbed the corner with the other to find a photo.

It was a photo outside Hawkins Lab, of Terry and next to her was,

"Papa," she whispered in slight fear.

Eli suspected who the woman was, but something in her needed to know for sure.

She could contact her.

No, the TV was still broken. But the radio wasn't, El realized.

With picture still firmly in her hand, El grabbed the radio from the bookshelf and her blindfold before returning to her spot near the files.

She knelt down on the floor where she left the missing experiment folder and turned on the radio, switching through all the channels until she finally heard the static she was hoping to find. El placed the radio on the floor next to her and secured the blindfold over her eyes. Holding the photo tight in her hands and bringing it up to her heart she searched.

She was back in the familiar void. She saw a woman in a rocking chair, facing away from her. El couldn't see her face but it looked like the woman from the photo.

She was muttering something El couldn't quite decipher until she walked closer.

"Three to the right. Four to the left."

El had reached the woman she believed to be her mother, her heart pounding. She walked around the chair to see the same woman, but older, aged by time and trauma.

Her eyes were closed, but she was still mumbling passionately as she rocked slightly back and forth in the chair.

"Rainbow. Three to the right. Four to the left."

El was standing in front of her now, watching her with worry and confusion.

"Rainbow. Three to the right. Four to the left. Four-fifty..."

Her eyes ripped open and she looked at El lovingly.

"Jane,"

It was her. All the doubts she bad washed away and she looked at her mother.

"Mama?"

She stepped forward, leaning down ever so slightly. She extended her hand out to her mother, her mother's finger twitching slightly as if she were trying to reach out to her daughter.

El placed her palm on her mother's hand, having given her nothing more than a loving squeeze when suddenly her mother disappeared under her very fingertips.

El breathing picked up and she looked around frantically, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Mama!"

She grasped feverishly thought the air, where her mother once was, watching the dying smoke of her image escape from her grasp.

"Mama?" She wailed.

She dropped to her knees in defeat, sobs wracking her body. Back in the living room of the cabin, El cried out still clutching the photograph.

"Mama! Mama!" El shrieked, pain enveloping her heart.

She ripped the blindfold off her eyes and she felt her upper lip grow wet from the blood mixing in with her snot, tears staining her cheeks.

"Mama..." she sobbed as if by some miracle her mother would hear her cries and come for her, comfort her.

She was told her mother was gone. Hopper had told her that. And there her mother was, alive, somewhere out there.

And just like that, she was gone again.

El collapsed in on herself, holding her own head in her hands as she wept.

||Reader's POV||

The trip to Will's felt like hours, but eventually, we rounded the corner and found ourselves on Will's lawn. Mike and I ditched out bikes and ran up the porch steps. Both of us were still panting from our ride over here, we went as fast as we could.

I knocked on the door quietly but urgently, and waited. That was until, Mike sighed growing impatient and pounded on the door a little harder.

"Hello?" He called.

"Will? Mrs. Byers?" I added.

I heard muffled footsteps and then the deadbolt unlocking.

Mrs. Byers peeked her head out, reluctant to show any more than her own frame.

"Hey,"

"Hey, Y/n, hi Mike" She eased.

"Mrs. Byers, we don't mean to intrude but is Will here? We were hoping to ask to him, see if he's okay."

She looked over her shoulder, growing antsy.

"You know what? Now is not really a good time,"

Mike beat me to it.

"Is he okay?"

She sighed, looking over her shoulder briefly once more, and stepped out onto the porch with us. She closed the door behind her.

"Yeah. You know, he's... he's just not feeling real well."

She kept walking, putting a gentle hand on either one of us, politely ushering us away.

"He's lying down, so I'll tell him you two stopped by, okay?"

She gave us a polite smile and retreated to the door.

I didn't bother to stop myself from what I said next.

"We know about the shadow monster."

She turned to look at me, worry and recognition flashed across her face.

"Will saw him, didn't he?"

||3rd Person POV||

"Mew-Mew! Where are you? Mew-Mew!"

Mrs. Henderson poured out her cat's dinner in the usual bowl, just as her son walked in the front door.

"Hey, Dusty!

"Hi, hey. Hey, mom." Dustin spoke quickly, his movements just as quick.

He was anxious to get to his room and check on Dart.

Mrs. Henderson frowned and straightened up.

"Everything okay, Dusty? Where's your sister?"

"Oh, uh, yeah she's hanging out with Mike and Will. Everything's fine" He said quickly.

He slipped past his mother and into his room. He closed the door and locked it behind him, making his way to the terrarium and shedding his hat and backpack on the bed.

"Dart, I've gotta talk to you, buddy. It's about my friend, Will. I think-"

He ripped off the pink sheet and his stomach dropped.

The glass was broken and slime was everywhere. It was a pale olive green and it dripped from the remaining shards of glass and all over the sand.

And exactly where Dustin had left him, was what looked like a thick, slimy sheen of green film.

Hesitantly, Dustin picked it up to examine it, and he cringed in disgust.

"What the hell?" He whispered, horrified.

Dart had shed his skin.

Dustin jumped in fright and whipped around when he heard a deeper but familiar screech come from the opposite end of his room. Behind his chair.

"Dart?" He said.

Dustin heard a horrible squelching noise, followed by grunting.

His heart pounded loudly in his chest and slowly he crept forward slowly.

His eyes fell to his rug and he noticed a trail of shredded pieces of skin. These pieces were much darker, almost black, and they looked less smooth.

Dustin still heard grunting and growling from behind his chair and he gulped as the trail of skin turned into streaks of blood. It was stained into his carpet and up his chair.

He heard a sickening crunch as he approached the corner, what he found behind the bloodied chair made him gasp in horror.

A dark green slimy creature on four legs hungrily and viciously attacking the lifeless and bloodied body of Mews.

Dart looked up from his meal and faced a horrified Dustin, his long slimy tail flicking back and forth. He roared, causing his head to open up, hundreds of bloodied teeth showing as any other Demogorgon would.

×××

Dusk had fallen over Hawkins, and Hopper panted heavily as he dug. He had been digging all day and it was growing harder to see. The horizon was now a soft lilac bleeding into a darker shade of blue.

His limbs ached but he never yielded, striking the shovel in the dirt for the thousandth time. He had dug a miniature crater that he now stood in, the dirt and untouched ground around him reaching the top of his hat.

Dirt flew over his shoulder and landed in the many mini hills of dirt that had formed around the edge of the crater.

Panting, he threw his shovel into the first once more, and just as he was about to give in to the doubt that he dug in the wrong place, he felt the shovel slow and heard an odd squelch.

His hopes rising, he swallowed his exhaustion as best as he could and dug faster. He held the shovel in the air, before heaving it into the ground with a forceful grunt.

He felt the shovel break the oddly thick wall and pulled the shovel back up with all his strength. He heard the substance rip and tear as it broke and it was soon followed by a sharp hiss as air escaped from the opening. A hiss reminding him of a hiss of compressed air leaving a can of beer.

A small hole formed as dirt filtered through the hole he had created.

He brought the shovel up once more and slammed into the ground. He heard it bubble as he prodded the ground. He cringed at the smell that wafted into his face and chunks of the ground came up with the shovel.

Hopper paused and looked on, mystified and concerned.

He didn't know what he would find below his feet and the thought scared him now. Nevertheless, he dug a hole big enough to fit through and he lowered himself into the ground.

He planted his feet on the ground and caught his breath. Flashlight in hand he looked at his surroundings. He was in a dark tunnel and familiar flakes of dead earth floating in the air.

"Oh, Jesus,"

It was the same purple-blue tunnels from Will's drawings.

Tunnels from the Upside Down.


	17. Ask the Characters: Responses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little bit ago, I opened up the floor for you guys to ask the characters of this story anything you'd like. These are their responses! Also, about the question somebody asked that was directed at everyone, I wasn't sure if they meant the party or everyone so on a whim I did it for everyone that's listed in the cast cause I thought it be fun ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
> 
> [Holy crap, this was a lot more fun than I anticipated, I definitely want to do this again in the future! Thank you to everyone who participated and I hope I did okay!]

Y/n Henderson:

Q: Are you okay? Like sincerely. Because I love you soo much hon.

A: I got to be honest, I've been better. I'm mostly just under a lot of stress. I'm really worried about Will, this was the worst episode he's ever had, at least that I know of and he's being really secretive. Plus there's something else on my mind, and it's really weighing me down and I'm not even allowed to talk about it... Uh, forget about that last part? Anyways, thank you for asking, that's very sweet of you!

Q: question for y/n, do you like anyone because I ship you and mike

A: Ship? I'm guessing that means who you want me to be with? Well, sorry to disappoint but I don't really feel that way about Mike. He is pretty cute I guess, and he can be pretty sweet when he wants to. But again, I still don't really see him that way. Regardless, him and El have a thing for each other. And well, I'm far too worried about Will right now to think about that stuff, ya know? Speaking of Will, I really hope he's okay. He's always so sweet, and kind, and funny. And he's so creative, but most importantly he's incredibly nice to me and- Uh, you know what? It's fine, never mind, it was stupid, it's nothing. *ahem* Next question? Anyone?

Q: I'm wondering your opinion on all the characters! I feel like it would be fun to know

A: Well, um let's see. There's Dustin, my brother. He can be too much sometimes, ya know? And he's always correcting me which drives me insane! But, at the end of the day, he's a good guy, and he's always there when I need him. He's always been really supportive and understanding about where I came from. He's never upset whenever I'm curious about all that, which I really appreciate. Then there's Lucas, he's great. He's like a second brother to me. Stubborn and annoying as all hell, but always there when I need him. He is also protective of me. All the boys are really, which I also appreciate, but I can take care of myself. His little sister is awesome, I've met her several times and their dynamic reminds me a lot of me and Dustin. Mike, well again, I'm glad our fight is over. Differences aside, he's extremely loyal, though I have noticed that when he is passionate about someone or something, he tends to blind himself and begin to neglect others. A big reason why the two of us clash more often than others. Then there's El, she's really sweet and shy, I don't blame her though. In fact, I often feel guilty, I mean, I can't help but feel like I was the lucky one who got out of the lab and we probably would have lead the same lives, she might even have had me there but she grew up all alone in that lab. She never deserved any of that... Max, the new girl? I like her. She's really cool and easy to talk to, and I have to admit, it's really refreshing to have another friend who's a girl. I just wish she knew about everything going on because I hate keeping secrets from her. Way back when, I was in her shoes. Dustin was a bit reluctant introducing me to his new friends being the protective brother he is. But I befriended Will and he helped me convince Dustin and the rest is history. Speaking of Will, he's my best friend. He's the sweetest guy I know and he's crazy talented. He's always giving me pictures he drew, usually our DnD characters together, I love them! I've kept every single picture he's ever given me, and I have most of them hanging up on my wall, the rest are in an old metal lunchbox to keep them safe. I really, really like him. And I know he likes me too, but I don't know, I guess we've both been taking it slow. What with everything's that been going on. Steve Harrington, I used to think little of him, but then I heard that he ditched those so called friends of his and how he's been cleaning up his act which I think is cool. I know he's friendly with Jonathan now which is also cool. I've ran into him a few times at Mike's house and he actually seems pretty nice. I really admire that he's trying to be a better person! Nancy, she seems a lot more laid back which is reliving. She's a lot more like how she used to be around us which is nice. We all went through some pretty intense things last year and I think a lot of changed for the better, Nancy included. Jonathan, who I've always looked up to, he's pretty great. I'd see him a lot whenever I would go to Will's house and he has been nice enough to drive me and Will places which I appreciate. But I do notice he's always giving me and Will looks now, I'm sure he knows by now that I kissed Will that night in the hospital and besides, I feel like he's always been hoping me and Will would get together but I guess that's something all brothers do: tease. They're mom is kind of the same way, she's always happy to see me and Will hanging out. I love Mrs. Byers! She's become like a second mom to me over the years, she always has snacks for me to eat when I'm over and she always remembers what's been going on in my life. She's very kind and attentive, it's always nice to see her. Her new boyfriend Bob seems really nice. Will has always been sensitive and elusive about his dad and I remember meeting his dad once or twice when we were younger. He was always brash and rude but Bob seems the complete opposite. He seems nice and kinda dorky but in a good way I guess. He definitely seems to make Mrs. Byers happy and Will talks about him occasionally, which is nice to hear. Chief Hopper, I think he's cool. I was definitely unsure about how seriously he would take Will's missing case, and I did not have much faith in him. But he really came through for all of us and he was really the only one that cared enough and I'm pretty sure he did a lot of things outside his pay grade to help find Will. Not to mention he rescued us from the bad men last year. I was scared to death, I didn't know if they were going to take me away from my family and try to write me off as another missing kid but the chief came to our rescue and saved us. After that, he's earned my trust. But I haven't seen him around all that much since last year, which I guess is a good thing. But with the way things are getting, I can't help but feel like we might be seeing him soon... Oh yeah, I guess that leaves Billy. I already didn't like him based off of what Max told me, but then he tried to run me and my friends over, so no I'm not fond of him.

Q: What do you think'd happen to you if you weren't adopted?

A: Gosh, well to be honest I think about that a lot. I think I might have ended up like El. And that really scares me honestly. I have no idea how I got here. I know I must be from the lab but I have no idea how I escaped. It's something that I've been thinking about a lot lately...

Q: What's it like being Dustin's sister?

A: Dustin is a great brother. He's annoying, and persistent and he corrects me all the time, but he also really cares about me and is always looking out for me and I'm so grateful to have him as a brother. Maybe don't tell him I said that? He would hold against me for the rest of my life 

Q: Do you have a secret crush on mike because i have read all the chapters and i can tell it feels like this.... ESPECIALLY THE LAST CHAPTER 😂 (i know it's stupid i don't even know why i ship y/n with mike)

A: Wow, um, again, I'm not really interested in him that way, sorry to disappoint. I am really glad I have my friend back, though. He's like a brother to me, so that's why I was so upset when we were fighting. Again, it's nice to be back on good terms again.

Q: will or dustin?

A: You want me to choose between my crush and my brother?? I gues- no. Well? Yeah no. Sorry I can't do it. I choose both, if that's an option!

Q: a question-well, more like dare-for Y/n and Will. Can you guys kiss 😂 PLEASE😸

A: I, I uh, I don- Uhhh

Q: WILL AND Y/N, ON A SCALE OF 1-11(Pun FULLY intended), HOW MUCH DO YOU LOVE EACH OTHER?

A: *blushes* W-well, I don't thin- I, uh, um can- Can I have some water?

Will Byers:

Q: WILL AND Y/N, ON A SCALE OF 1-11(Pun FULLY intended), HOW MUCH DO YOU LOVE EACH OTHER?

A: 11- what? sorry- what?

Q: a question-well, more like dare-for Y/n and Will. Can you guys kiss 😂 PLEASE😸

A: *chokes*

Q: if you could go back in time to when you got kidnapped would you change it?

A: That's a really tough question. I hated everything I went through that week. I was terrified and I honestly didn't think I'd make it out. But on the other hand, when I came back, Y/n seemed different. A good different. She returned my feelings. But I have no idea if that had anything to do with me being gone. I guess, to answer your question, I wouldn't want to be gone nearly as long.

Q: Will, do you like Y/n?

A: Y/n? Like her? Um, gosh uh, well... Yeah. I really do. She's my best friend and she's just really incredible. I'm really lucky she likes me back. At least, I think she does... Why, did she say anything?

Q: To Will, Pewdiepie or T-Series?

A: I- I don't really know what any of that is, I'm sorry.

Q: question for everyone. What do you think of y/n? As in a person

A: Well, she's great. Again, she's my best friend, apart from the guys. We have always been extra close, we get along really well. Although, to be honest, I'm really worried for her at the moment...

Q: to will, *WILL* you marry me? Jkjk uNlEsS

A: Well, umm, I'm twelve. And I don't think I really need another reason, but I'm flattered. Thanks, though?

Dustin Henderson:

Q: question for everyone. What do you think of y/n? As in a person

A: She always hogs the TV, which is so annoying. And whenever she isn't, she off somewhere with Byers which is also annoying. But as much as I hate to admit it, she's a really nice person. Way too good for anybody if you ask me. And I mean, having a sister with superpowers??? That's pretty freaking cool if you ask me. But powers and sibling quarrels aside, she's one of my best friends... Don't let her know I said that?

Q: How would you feel about Will and your sister dating?

A: Well, it was one thing when I found out Will liked my sister. I mean, it's Will! And Y/n! But then after a lot of thought, I realized something. Nobody is ever gonna be good enough for my sister. But, if there was ever a second best person, it would be Will. He obviously cares about her and she seems to really like him so, I guess I lucked out. She did actually. But ugh, it's still weird though. As long as I don't have to ever see anything, then I'm good.

Lucas Sinclair:

Q: question for everyone. What do you think of y/n? As in a person

A: Well, she's pretty cool. Especially that awesome explosion thing she did last year. It's pretty crazy figuring our one of your best friends is from a secret government lab with powers. But she was still cool even before we found out all about that. She's still the same fun and witty person.

Mike Wheeler:

Q: What did we do to you? We want to help Will asshole! Sorry but we wanted to help him in both scenarios

A: Woah, woah, woah! Look, I'm not trying to be an asshole here, I'm trying to help Will too. He just needed to talk to me in that moment, and I guess he didn't want to worry Y/n. He's got a lot on his mind and I was just trying to respect his wishes. And I guess I was extra harsh to he'd cause I felt... guilty? I don't know if that makes sense. But I got defense when I probably shouldn't have.

...I guess I can't really blame her though, if I were in her position I would be mad too, and I know she just wants him to be okay... We all do.

Q: Just a small question umm..... IF El were still alive, what would you do and do you believe she is still out there?

A: I really do think she's out there. She's so strong and way smarter than people give her credit for. And I can't help but feel like she's heard me. I know, it's crazy but I sometimes I feel like she's reaching out to me. But she hasn't given me a sign, so I don't know what to think anymore.

Q: to mike, i understand that you lost el and everything but why do you feel the need to be a jerk all the time?? of course you want to protect your friends but does that mean you have to be mad at the world all the time?

A: I guess it's a defense mechanism? I've just been carrying this feeling for such a long time, it's been getting harder to cope with it.

Q: Mike~ what happened to you? why are you so bitter? I miss who you used to be :(

A: I'm sorry, okay? I'm really sorry. I just miss El so much, and I'm really worried about Will and it's really taking a lot out of me.

Q: Mike, y u be such a b itch to Y/N? She did nothing wrong!

A: Look, again, I'm not trying to be a bad person, I was just doing what Will asked. I'm not gonna go into more because, me and Y/n seemed to have worked it out. And the most important thing right now is that we help Will.

Q: who can make you smile no matter how bad you feel?

A: El. Although I've been feeling bad for a while now because El's gone.

El:

Q: question for everyone. What do you think of y/n? As in a person

A: She is a good friend. I'm glad I saw her. But, I feel bad. She's in danger because of me. Hopper is already mad at me. I hope he doesn't track her down.

Q: don't worry about Mike, he's a prick

A: Prick? What is prick?

Max Mayfield:

Q: question for everyone. What do you think of y/n? As in a person

A: To be honest, I wasn't sure about her. At first. I mean, she hung out with those stalkers all the time but then she introduced herself and more than proved she didn't have anything to do with their creepy behavior, and she really seems genuine. My point is, she's pretty cool. And she's the first and so far, only real friend I've made here. Hell, there aren't even people like her back in California. And I can tell she's really trying to reign in Mike and the others and let me in the group, which I appreciate. But I can't help but shake the feeling that she's hiding something...

Billy Hargrove:

Q: question for everyone. What do you think of y/n? As in a person

A: Who? *flicks cigarette on the ground*

Steve Harrington:

Q: question for everyone. What do you think of y/n? As in a person

A: That name sounds familiar. I think Nancy has mentioned her, a friend of Mike's, right? Yeah, now that I think about it I've run into her a few times when I was over at Nancy's. I don't know much about her, you know given she's like what? I thirteen year old girl and I'm a seventeen year old guy in high school. Yeah, don't know her that well, but she seems cool I guess?

Nancy Wheeler:

Q: question for everyone. What do you think of Y/n? As in a person

A: I've known her for quite a while. Given that she's always over here with rest of Mike's friends, but I don't mind. She's definitely one of Mike's more tolerable friends, her and her brother Dustin both are. She seems nice and I'm glad Mike has a friend like her. She's a good influence on him. And he could definitely use it.

Jonathan Byers:

Q: question for everyone. What do you think of Y/n? As in a person

A: I like her. She's always super polite when she's over, always thanking me for rides whenever I'm driving her and Will somewhere. Will never shuts up about her, and she really seems to make him happy, and that's all I really care about.

Joyce Byers:

Q: question for everyone. What do you think of Y/n? As in a person

A: Y/n? Oh, I just love her. She's always so polite and considerate whenever she's over, she's a real sweetheart. And I know how happy she makes Will. He's been kinda weird about her lately though, ever since his episodes...

Q: how do u feel about Will's relationship towards y/n and how much more mature he is being on the situation?

A: I can't express how happy I am that Will has her. And, and vice versa. It is so cute, he is always so giddy when it comes to her. She's clearly very important to him. Before Y/n came into our lives, Will was a lot quieter, only really opened up to specific people when they put in the time. I've always gotten the sense that he tends to blend into the background with his friends, and just doesn't really know how to speak up for himself, but with Y/n? She has brought him out of his shell and she always makes sure he can be heard. And the trouble my family has gone through, well she's been there for us and is always willing to lend a hand and offer her support. That's one of the reasons why I'm so grateful they found each other. 

Jim Hopper:

Q: question for everyone. What do you think of is Y/n? As in a person.

A: The Henderson girl? Yeah I know her. She seems like a good kid. El speaks highly of her. She was definitely the easiest to work with out of Will's friends. And now that she knows about El, I can't help but worry. The kid doesn't really know it yet, but she's in a lot more danger than I thought...

Bob Newby:

Q: question for everyone. What do you think of Y/n? As in a person

A: Well, I've only met her a few times, but she seems like she's got a good head on her shoulders. And the way Will talks about her, jeez louise, he sure likes her! In fact, it reminds me of how I feel about Joyce. It sure is sweet. And I really admire what she did for Will on that tape from Halloween. That was really something. She's very admirable.

Author:

Q: What inspired you to write the protagonist of this story by the way she is now?

A: I certainly don't mind being asked questions, I'm actually really flattered! And I'm assuming you mean Y/n? Well, as much as I want to, it is pretty much impossible for any 'x reader' author to capture the likeness of EVERYONE so I just always try to think about what the fans would most likely do if we were in this story. Like how Y/n befriended El, and Max, as the only girl in a group of boys, (which is why I'm especially excited to write season 3!) But to answer your question, she has definitely evolved I think, and it's mostly from her recent experiences. Ever since she found out about her powers, she's never really been the same. That's not something you can just ignore, and move on from obviously. So this season is her really just trying to continue her life as much as she can while also struggling to accept this side of herself that she just uncovered. And no matter how much she loves her life, family and friends, she still can't quite wonder where she comes from...


	18. Dig Dug - P1

||Reader's POV||

"It's like... It's like I feel what the shadow monster's feeling. See what he's seeing," I frowned, my heart breaking for Will.

Will was sitting next to me on the edge of his bed. He looked awful. He was drenched with sweat and he was unnaturally pale. If I looked carefully enough I could see him shaking.

"Like in the Upside Down?" Mike asked.

Mike was pacing around Will's room, his fingers lightly ran along the trails of drawings of Will's tunnels. Apparently, that's what he was seeing in what he called his 'now memories'.

"Some of him is there," Will said, his eyes never leaving the wall. "But some of him is here, too."

"Like, in the house?" I asked gently, and Will flinched.

Maybe because I hadn't spoken in a while.

He looked to me for a brief moment but refused to meet my eyes.

"In this house and..." he looked away. "in me. It's like... it's like he's reaching into Hawkins more and more. And the more he spreads, the more connected to him I feel."

Mike had taken a seat on the other side of Will.

"The more you see these now-memories." Will nodded at Mike's words, his eyes still fixed on the floor.

"Is there anything else you can tell us? About these now-memories?" I ask gently.

Will begins fidgeting, he squirmed a bit and it almost seemed like he was inching away from me. I brushed it off.

"At first I just felt it in the back of my head. I didn't even know it was really there. It's like when you have a dream and you can't remember it unless you think really hard." His voice was shaking, his hands were too.

"It was like that. But now it's like..." His brows scrunched up, trying to find the right words. "Now I remember. I remember all the time."

Mike and I shared an equally worried look, and Mike spoke up.

"Maybe... Maybe that's good."

"Good?" 

I gave Mike a curious look.

"Just think about it," He nodded, looking between the two of us. "You're like a spy now. A superspy. Spying on the shadow monster."

I could have sworn I saw Will give me an uncomfortable side look. He was getting squirmy again. I tried to act like I didn't see it, but I couldn't help but pick up on his odd behavior towards me.

"If you know what he's seeing and feeling," Another glance. "Maybe that's how we can stop him."

I smiled slightly at Mike's words. He had a point, and I looked at all the pictures around us. Of the now-memories. I nodded eagerly, looking from Mike to Will. Subconsciously, I must have angled myself to face Will more, I realized.

"Mike makes a good point, Will. Maybe all of this is happening for a reason."

Will contemplated this for a short moment, but then he looked to Mike.

"You really think so?"

That was more difficult to brush off. For some unknown reason, I felt embarrassed. But mostly sad. I looked down at my lap, and tried to mask my hurt I looked back at Mike. The empathetic look on his face told me he didn't understand Will's cold shoulder to me either, but he played it off quickly and nodded at Will.

"Yeah. Yeah, I do," He gestured to me. "We both do. Right Y/n?"

I smile gratefully, and I turned to Will. "Absolutely,"

He flinched ever so slightly at my voice. I felt my heart breaking more, but I tried to shove my feelings aside. This isn't about me, this is about Will and being there for him. I can't imagine what this must be like. So what if he was a little irritable? I would be too.

But I couldn't stop myself from wondering.

'Why wasn't he like this with anyone else?'

I pulled myself from my thoughts, and I noticed Will looking down at his drawing of the shadow monster, and I did too. Just knowing this is exactly what Will saw, made everything more chilling than it already was.

And just looking at the drawing reminded me this thing was with us in a way. I was glaring at it now. I'm mad, no, livid. That this thing attached itself to Will.

Will was grave, he looked and sounded terrified - not that I blame him.

"What if he figures out we're spying on him?" I heard him sniffle, and his voice was trembling just as much as he was. "What if he spies back?"

I know it's crazy but at that moment he sounded more like the Will I know than he had in all the time we had been here. 

"He won't," I said determinedly.

He met my eye for a split second. It was the first time he had properly acknowledged me since I got here and I could have sworn his eyes were filled with warning. I brushed it off, writing it off as a misconception. I was much too focused on his shaking hand.

"He won't. We won't let him, I won't let-"

Instinctively, I grabbed his trembling hand, hoping to calm him as I have done countless times. But my palm had barely grazed him and immediately he ripped his hand away, grasping it in his other.

I jumped back startled.

His whole body was shaking visibly, and he stared at his hand, before slowly looking up to meet my eyes. He was glaring at me as of I had just slapped him in the face, and he cradled his hand.

"W-Will,? Are you okay, I'm sorry-" I tripped over my words, now more embarrassed than ever. "Look, I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"

"Get out," he whispered.

My mouth ran dry and I frowned in confusion. I looked desperately to Mike who seemed just as shocked.

"What-?" My voice came out in a broken whisper, and now I was beginning to tremble.

"I said get out"

I flinched, and I rose to my feet quickly. I backed away towards his door. Tears clouded my vision and I wished I could leave faster but my limbs felt like they were made of lead. I guess I wasn't going fast enough because he began shouting at me.

"GET THE HELL OUT OF MY HOUSE!"

Mike now had a firm grip on Will's shoulders. Looking frantically between us, and ready to hold Will back in case he lunged for me.

"What's going on?"

The voice of Mrs. Byers brought me out of my stupor and I looked to her, apologetically. I was now in the hallway, and she had just reached Will's door. She glanced between me and Will frantically.

I quickly backed away, stumbling a bit. I tried to find the words to explain, but all I could muster an apology.

"I-I'm sorry," I croaked, walking backward. "Sorry,"

I turned and fled through the living room, grabbing my backpack off the couch and ran through the open door.

||3rd Person POV||

"What happened? W-what was that?" Joyce asked, kneeling down in front of her son.

Mike had let go, but Will was burning holes in the doorway through which Y/n had disappeared. He neglected to speak so Mike volunteered.

"She just touched his hand, and he- I guess she-?" He tried to find more words but he seemed hesitant to speak in front of Will.

Mrs. Byers stood and beckoned Mike into the hall with her.

Once they were around the corner, he immediately began speaking rapidly in a hushed whisper.

"She didn't do anything, Mrs. Byers, I swear! I saw the whole thing. She just grabbed his hand, he was shaking a lot and I guess she was just trying to comfort him or something. But he snapped, he just flipped out on her, I don't-" he sighed, glancing worriedly after her.

Joyce nodded and ran after Y/n. She wanted to talk to her and get her to stay. She knew how much Y/n cared for Will, and how she would never do anything to upset him on purpose. 

Joyce dashed out of the open door, she had already noticed Y/n's stuff was gone. But by the time she reached the porch, Y/n was peddling down the driveway. She rounded the bushes and disappeared into the night.

Back in Will's room, Mike stood before his best friend.

"Will..." Mike shook his head slightly, at a loss for words. "What was that?"

Will, who still had his eyes fixed on the doorway, slowing looked up at Mike. He seemed different. Angrier. 

When he spoke, Mike felt a chill run down his spine. Will's voice held no emotion and he seemed distant. And cold.

Not himself. 

"It needed to be said, Mike. She needed to leave," he said, his eyes boring into Mike, suddenly very still.

What he said next only confirmed the fact he was not himself.

"She got in his way."

Will paused and slowly looked away, blinking a couple of times. He stared at the wall for a moment, and he seemed to return to normal like he was pulled out of a long thought. He glanced back at Mike who was staring at him in shock.

Will had a saw the shock on Mike's face and he tilted his head slightly in confusion.

"What?"

×××

Y/n sped down Mirkwood, tears streaming down her cheeks. Her bike was unsteady, her hand frequently returning to her face, wiping her nose on her sleeve.

She replayed the moment in head over and over and over, never completely understanding what happened. What she had done wrong.

All she could think about was how he looked at her. With disgust. How repulsed he was. More sobs escaped her and she scolded herself. She didn't know why. She just felt so... ashamed.

Why? She wondered. She hadn't done anything wrong, that she knew. But it did nothing to ease the pain in her heart.

Something in the back of her mind thought that her bike handles were harder to grip. Wet? She didn't know, she hardly acknowledged it, much too distressed to worry about it.

"GET THE HELL OUT OF MY HOUSE"

The words echoed loudly in her head and Y/n felt her heart break in two, all over again.

Will never spoke to her like that. Hell, he never yelled at all, much less at her. He was always so soft-spoken and gentle. And so kind. That's what she liked about him. But this was different.

Her hands slipped a few times from the handles but she just grabbed them once more.

No matter what she told herself, a voice in her head fed her ridiculous lies.

It was completely inappropriate to have grabbed his hand. Invade his space like that. It shouldn't be a surprise to her, the voice argued. He was clearly uncomfortable around her, flinching and constantly moving away from her. He clearly didn't want to see her. After all, if he did, he would have confided in her in the first place. Not Mike.

But she invited herself over here, against his wishes, and inserted herself. He had every right to yell at her. She was selfish.

No. No, that's not what happened at all, she told herself. She did what he would have done for her, she was just trying to help. She wasn't being selfish.

Y/n was so absorbed in her thoughts, she nearly missed her house. The flickering of her bike light brought her out of her thoughts and back to her surroundings. She realized she had already passed the driveway. In a panicked attempt not to miss, she jerked the oddly slippery handles, much too quickly and she was thrown onto the grass. She lost her balance and crashed her bike, tumbling across her lawn landing on her stomach.

She was panting heavily, recovering from the small shock. Her arms trembled as she tried to push herself up but she winced. She had landed on her elbow weird and it was sore now. Y/n cried out in frustration at the incident. Just what she needed, she thought. Another reason to feel humiliated and stupid. She was still crying, but she pushed herself up and onto her knees.

She sniffled, and her eyes fell right where her hands just were. There in the grass was two singed and charred spots, in the shape of two perfect handprints.

She gasped softly. Once again, she had somehow burned something with the touch of her hands. A horrible thought struck her.

What if that's why Will snapped at her? She obviously couldn't control her recently discovered power, but what if she seriously hurt him?

She shook her head, more tears brimming in her eyes and she rose to her feet and sprinted inside. Her mother called after her but she sprinted down the hall, and into her room slamming the door behind her.

She dove onto her bed and her body bounced a bit when she hit the mattress. It wasn't until she placed her head on her pillow had Y/n realized how exhausted she was.

That must have been what happened. It was the only explanation, right? She must have gotten herself all worked up again - that's when it always seemed to happen. When she was angry.

She began slipping in and out of consciousness, but she realized something that didn't quite make sense.

Aside from the concern for her friend, she was perfectly calm when talking to him. Not angry.

And with that, she felt herself sinking into the depths of unconsciousness.

×××

With cautious steps, Hopper navigated the underground tunnels. The small beam from his flashlight traveled along the grey grimy walls of the tunnels, and hundreds of little dead flakes hung in the air around him.

A sharp piercing screech echoed off the walls and Hopper winced, pulling out his gun. His flashlight and gun in hand, he scanned his surroundings only to find nothing but his odd surroundings. Still, at attention and on defense, he continued on.

He had to step over several bumps and roots in the tunnel, but when he turned the corner his courage faltered. A sudden hiss, similar to the screech heard moments before, traveled through the tunnels. Hopper attempted to calm his breathing, doing his best to ignore the flakes entering his lungs with every labored breath.

The farther he ventured into the tunnels, the more death and decay hung in the air. His attention was suddenly drawn to the ceiling of the tunnels where another hiss emanated from. This, he realized, was the source of the noise. It was a large plant, slightly bigger than his own head, growing out of the wall. It moved suddenly inward as if taking a deep breath.

Without warning, the pod spits hundreds of spores, and Hopper recoiled at the sudden burst of spores raining down on him. Hopper fell into a heavy coughing fit and he stumbled back into the wall, cringing at its slimy texture. Unfortunately, he looked up just in time to be blasted by another cloud of spores where a smaller plant was attached to the wall.

Fighting the urge to gag, he turned and fled down the passage, hoping to find his way back. Though the more he moved, the weaker he began to feel. He stopped for a moment, still clutching the slippery tunnel walls to the best of his ability, and he noticed his vision had begun to blur.

He rubbed his eyes with his sleeves but it was all for naught, and he collapsed to the floor. The last thing he saw before he fell into unconsciousness, was the entrance to the tunnels he had created, weaving itself shut, swallowing him in darkness.


	19. Dig Dug - P2

||3rd Person POV||

El opens her eyes, finding herself in the familiar dark and damp setting. In the distance, she sees a bed. The covers are hanging off the mattress and grazing the water only she can see. She walks forward towards the bed cautiously, unsure if the figure lying in it is awake. As she approaches the bed she can make out more details.

The comforter is dotted with leaves and vines, intricate flowers in various hues sprinkle the vines and there a few embroidered pillows that look older and handed down. The figure on the mattress is lost in sleep, her limbs splayed out in many different directions. The figure is still dressed, clothes El has seen at least once before. The girl wearing them is hugging her pillow, a small frown etched on her face as she is troubled and tired.

El is in front of her now, just at her bedside and she can't help but take note of the drying circles on her pillow where the girl had been crying.

What could have happened? And would she be making it worse if she were to wake her and share with her what she had to share? El couldn't help but wonder.

But she also knew she would want to know. And she did miss her friend terribly. After all, they were from the same place and Y/n had every right to know about her own past as much as El did.

Not waiting any longer, she reached out and laid a gentle hand on her friend's shoulder. Nothing happened and so she gently shook her. Much to her delight Y/n moved slightly, which meant it was working. She shook again and only then did she allow herself to speak.

"Y/n? Y/n!"

Her eyes fluttered open and she caught sight of El. She peered up at her through her lashes, a groggy and confused look on her face.

"El?"

She nodded, a weak smile on her face.

"What are you doing here? Am I dreaming?"

She shook her head no.

"No. But I am real."

"I-I don't understand."

"I found my Mama."

"Wait, what? You found your mom? That's great," Y/n mumbled, fighting consciousness.

She was trying desperately to maintain conversation but the truth was she was very tired and she couldn't be sure what she was seeing or hearing was real.

"There's something else."

Y/n applied all the strength she could muster to keep her eyes open, they felt as if they weighed a thousand pounds. She hummed a 'what' in response, indicating for El to continue.

"Proof."

"I don't understand. What proof, El?"

"Where you come from."

×××

Will bolts up straight in a cold sweat, gasping for air. His bangs cling to his forehead and he is gasping for breath.

"Will?"

Mike sits up startled from his nest on the floor, looking up worriedly at his best friend. He is still dressed in his clothes from the previous day, his hood perched on his head.

"What's wrong?"

Will looks to Mike, fear in his eyes.

Joyce sits in the middle of her living room, lost in a trance as she gazes at the maze of paper tunnels. The small calls for her from Will are lost to her, and it is not until she feels a light touch on her shoulders that she is pulled from this trance.

"Mom?"

Joyce gasped in surprise but readjusts quickly for her son.

"Yeah?"

Will was crouching down, concern etched in his features and Mike stands just a few feet away.

"I saw him," Will says gravely.

"You saw who, baby?"

"Hopper," Joyce frowns slightly, and she can feel her blood run cold at her son's words. "I think he's in trouble. I think he's going to die."

×××

Hopper gasps for air as he is ripped from unconsciousness. He looks around, the memories of what had happened come flooding back. Collecting himself to the best of his ability, he scrambles to his feet. The man knows he can't last long without fresh air and the particles floating amongst the smog would do him no good. His senses overwhelm him and already his body is rejecting the environment and toxic air. He doubles over as his body ejects the contents of his stomach.

Hopper grunts in disgust, the bile burning his throat and tongue. Though he doesn't allow himself any more time to waste, knowing he had to find the exit. He grabs his hat, returning it to his head and finds the flashlight beside him as he climbs to his feet. Hopper runs his free hand along the ceiling of the slimy dank tunnels as he speeds down the familiar path. Just as he had feared, he found no breaks, the hole he had dug had in fact closed up and he now stands at a dead end.

"Shit!"

Hopper reminds himself to steady his breathing. He knows now he has no immediate way out. No source of fresh oxygen and he knew he must save his breath. He is able to subdue the sporadic thoughts of panic racing in his mind, and he all he allows himself to think about is his oxygen intake. Even if he slowed his breathing he was still at risk for the toxic spores hanging in the air.

A little light bulb goes off in his head and he takes out his pocket knife, opening it up and raising it to his shoulder. He has to place the flashlight between his teeth in order to make a clean cut, but he is able to create a rip in the fabric. With one swift movement, Hopper tears the left sleeve off his uniform. Removing the flashlight from his mouth, he ties the sleeve over his face crafting a crude air filtration, somewhat safe from the deadly spores around him.

Calming his racing heart he treads on in the direction he had come. But he comes to a reluctant stop, the beam from his flashlight shifting uncertainly between a fork in the tunnel. He could not remember where he had come from. Hopper does not know why but his mind takes him to El. The familiar feeling of warmth and joy she brought to his dull life sparks in his chest and a terrible thought strikes him.

What if I never see her again?

Their last interaction would be the terrible words exchanged and the mess left behind. And worst of all, she would be alone and in danger. He couldn't let that happen, and he promised himself he would get himself out. And apologize, work things out like he should have the prior morning. They would play games together again, do puzzles and even fix up the TV and continue their western marathons. He would read to her again every night, hell maybe he could find some more of Sarah's old books and-

Hansel and Gretel. He chuckles lightly under his breath. Half in relief and a half in disbelief for not thinking of it before. Hopper reaches into his left breast pocket and retrieves the stash of cigarettes. He's thankful he had grabbed a fresh pack. He took a single stick in his fingers and broke it in half, discarding the piece on the path, beginning his trail.

×××

Mrs. Henderson shivers as she steps into her front room. She had spent all morning looking for Mews, she even shook brought the felines favorite toy, shaking the bell attached knowing she usually came running. Her spirits perked when she saw Dustin on the phone.

"Dusty, baby, you're sure she's not in your room."

Dustin gulped, thankful his back was to his mother and she could not see his widened eyes. He holds a finger out for a pause, mindlessly mumbling an 'uh-huh'.

He does his best to ignore the operator on the line as he pretends to be taking a phone call. He hoped it was enough to fool his mother.

"Thank you so much, Mr. McCorkle. Thank you so much. You are a true life-saver. Thank you... All right. Have a good one. Bye-bye, now... All right... you too."

Mrs. Henderson felt a wave of relief wash over her hearing her son's words.

"Alright, great news," Dustin said, turning to her and hanging up the phone.

"They found her?" Her voice shook as she spoke.

"No," he said gently, stepping towards her mother. "But they saw her, wandering Loch Nora,"

Even her breath was trembling as she fought back sobs of relief.

"How did the poor baby get all the way over there?"

"I don't know, lost I guess," Dustin cooed. "But they're gonna look for her and I'll stay here, just in case they call again. And you're gonna go help look? Yeah?"

He tried to ignore the clenching feeling of guilt around his heart, giving his mother false hope like this. She smiled through her sobs and nodded eagerly.

"Give me a hug, give me a hug," She gratefully hugged her son, trying to swallow the lump in her throat. "You're gonna find her, alright?"

Mrs. Henderson backed away eagerly, nodding her head trying to convince herself that would find her beloved cat.

"We can find her." He said reassuringly.

"We can find her." She repeated eagerly.

Mrs. Henderson grabbed her keys off the counter and headed towards the door.

She looked to her only son and sniffled, her voice was still slightly shaky.

"Dusty," another sniffle. "Honey, check on your sister, sweetie. She came home awfully upset again, and-and let you let her know where I'm going okay?"

"Of course, yeah, uh-huh."

"C-cause, I'm sure she'll be glad to hear they saw Mews. You let her know, okay baby?"

"Of course. I will go check on her right now. Okay. Hey,"

She paused in the front door, looking back at her son.

"I love you." Dustin blue a kiss at his mother, a fake smile plastered on her face.

She reciprocated, unknowingly the only genuine.

"I love you,"

"I love you"

"I love you,"

"Alright go, alright," He eased her out the door with encouragement and a thumbs up.

His smile did not falter until she had closed the front door.

Now to get Y/n out of the house.

||Reader's POV||

I nearly lost my balance as I slip the left shoe over my foot. I grabbed my bag and rifled through it once more making sure I had everything I needed.

I still can't believe I'm doing this. I just hope it really was real, and I'm not just doing this for nothing. But it had to be real, it had to be.

"Meet me at nine four five. Outside Mirk-wood."

"El?"

"Don't tell. Anyone."

She vanished before I could say anything else. I vaguely remember seeing her in my room, but at the same time, she wasn't completely real. She almost looks transparent. The only thing convincing about all this was what she had said to me at the school. She had a way of contacting me. This must be it.

Everything was in my bag, by now I have triple checked my bag but I still don't feel quite ready. Then again, I don't know if I'll ever be prepared to find out what happened to me, but I don't want to let that stop me.

I took a deep breath, willing away the nerves bubbling in my stomach to the best of my ability. My bag over my shoulder, I turned the doorknob and the door swung open. I flinched when I saw Dustin on the other side. His first hung in the air, ready to knock and he seemed surprised.

My eyes dropped to my bag nervously before fleeting back to his. I gulped.

"I'm going to Will's. Mike and I are gonna stay the night with him, and make sure he's alright."

Dustin seemed to process this but he blinked soon enough, shaking himself from shock. I could have sworn he seemed relieved, and I could feel relief myself.

"That's great, you should do that. He really needs you."

As if this morning wasn't already perfectly strange, Dustin was talking in a weird soothing voice and he walked me to the door. I didn't linger on it too much before I started worrying about what I was about to do. I was so excited at the possibility of seeing El again, but where are we going and how long would I be gone?

I realized we were nearing the door and I hadn't even registered that he had been talking to me.

"...at Loch Nora, looking. And don't worry, I'll man the phones. You just worry about Will, alright?"

I mindlessly mumbled an "uh-huh" and I turned to home when I reach the door.

"Dustin?"

He blinked lightly and continued in that weird soothing voice. His mannerisms reminded me of something you'd see from a spa worker. I shrugged it off, too wracked with guilt that I was basically leaving my family, who loved and cared for me to find someone I didn't even know.

I looked him in the eye, and I felt something rare. Rare for the two of us at least. Genuine admiration. I thought of all the fun and harmless little pranks we'd pull on Mom together. Or the times he looked out for me, and how much he genuinely cared about me.

"I love you,"

Before I could acknowledge any odd looks from him I wrapped him in a hug and he reciprocated.

"I love you too. Don't worry, we'll find her."

My eyes opened, still locked in an embrace with my brother and I frowned.

What?

"What? Find who?"

We both pulled away and it was his turn to look confused.

"Mews."

"Mews is missing? When?"

"I just- I just told you." He blinked several times but shook his head, slowly gesturing me out the door once more. "It's no big deal. Mews got out the other night and long story short, someone saw her wandering around in Loch Nora and Mom is headed there now. Don't even worry about it, okay?"

I nodded, my mind still racing. My eyes and hand fell to the doorknob and I gave my brother one last glance before I disappear out the front door.

||3rd Person POV||

Unbeknownst to the two of them, the Henderson children stood on either side of the door, simultaneously breathing a sigh of relief.

Y/n tightens the grip on her bag and began walking towards the garage out of habit until she saw her bike laying in the grass where she had left it last night. She sighed and grabbed her bike only to realize the rubber around handlebars were melted down in the center. A rough and messy shape of where her hands had been was clear, underneath it all was the metal core of the bike's structure. She gasped, examining the odd sight until her mind wandered to the previous night.

Was that why they seemed wet? Holy crap, I melted my bike.

Y/n shook her head in disbelief before she checked the time. Nine twenty, she had to get moving. Mounting her bike, she cast one last longing glance at her home, reassuring herself that what she was doing was right. Not a moment longer she disappeared around the corner and into a path amongst the trees.

Dustin lay on his hands and knees below the front window. He winced at the slight prickling feeling of rug burn that had managed to get to him through his jeans. As Y/n had retrieved her bike from the grass, he sped to the window, waiting for confirmation that she had finally left.

Unfortunately for him, she turned and looked back at the house, and he cursed himself for allowing himself the vulnerability. He had to drop down onto the floor to avoid being seen by his sister, but luckily she had just missed him. Moments passed and when he heard her soft but identifiable footsteps nearing the porch he knew it was safe to peek. Sure enough, he saw her disappear around the corner down the road, a small cluster of autumn leaves flying off the ground at her climbing speed.

He jumped to his feet and ran outside through the back door. He ripped open the cellar doors and retreated back into the house. He didn't stop running until he reached the hall closet and ripped them open. He turned on the light, the metal chain swinging back and forth, even hitting him as he bent down to retrieve his gear.

He was grateful he kept his and Y/n's old baseball stuff. He remembered the day him and Y/n saw a program on TV and the kids were playing baseball. That same day, the pair begged and pleaded their mother for the gear and when she finally caved, Y/n and Dustin spent all of summer break out in their backyard. Granted they were new to it and barely managed to hit the ball more than five times between the two of them but they had a blast. Of course, they usually played with the rest of the party, and Dustin was almost always the umpire, given he had gear for it. As for Y/n, she had a pretty decent arm, she made the best pitcher out of the group. Naturally though, school rolled around again and the following summer was when they officially formed the party for their very first campaign.

Dustin was thankful him and his sister had been so damn stubborn and he was certainly very thankful his mother had gotten them what they had so desperately wanted. Now he had protection from Dart.

He tossed everything in the living room and went to the kitchen. Ripping open the fridge door he grabbed every variety of meat he could find. His confident urgency waved only slightly when he approached his closed door. He began the trail of meat outside his room and all the way out to the cellar. He closed every other door in the house as a precaution and suites up. His usual hat lay discarded on the living room chair in exchange for his umpire helmet. To top it all off he adorned his mother's pair of oven mitts. Not ideal for the situation but was the best he could find.

Now completely geared up, he grabbed his hockey stick just for short measure. He stood outside his room, careful not to step on the trail of bologna and got ready to run.

"Alright, Dart," He called. "Breakfast time,"

Not allowing himself to think about it any longer he ripped open the door and starting running. A mantra slipped from his mouth as he wobbled through the house, his gear restricting his speed.

"Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit."

He was outside now, and he had already heard light thumps of wet feet behind him. He did his best to speed up and before he knew it he was safe in the shed.

Panting heavily and still trying to calm his racing heart, Dustin stepped towards the shed door. He peered through a slit in the boards and waited for the slimy figure to emerge from the open door.

"Come on, I know you're hungry" he mumbled.

Dustin gasped when he saw Dart trudge down the steps. Just as he had predicted, Dart was happily gobbling up every slice of bologna and ham in the trail Dustin laid out.

"Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes," he mumbled.

He had to move around the shed in order to see Dart approach the open cellar doors. Everything had been going so smoothly. Up until Dart whipped around and faced Dustin.

His eyes widened and he gasped in fear, hoping Dart hadn't seen him. Like with Y/n, he waited a moment. There was no sign of movement and he stepped forward. Only to find Dart just outside the shed. He jumped back, his own back to the wall of the shed and he gripped the hockey stick closer to his chest.

Dustin could now hear the pitter-patter of Dart's small webbed feet and he knew it was now or never. It was his fault for bringing Dart into the house, and it was his fault for ignoring the other's logic and lying about Dart's whereabouts. And it was time to fix it. Taking several deep breaths, Dustin ripped open the shed door, startling Dart in the process and charged after his once pet.

Dart retreated frightfully, an image that instilled more guilt in Dustin's heart. Nevertheless, with a scream tearing from his throat, Dustin swung at the creature. He felt the hockey stick strike Dart and he went flying, miraculously Dart hit the open cellar door and tumbled inside.

He himself ran to the cellar, and just as he began closing the doors, an angry and betrayed Dart charged up the stairs after him. Feeling guilty, frightened and exhausted, Dustin collapsed on the closed cellar doors. He could feel his body jerk and move as Dart attempted to break the doors down but it was no use. Dustin was grateful he wearing leg padding, he could feel his shins digging into the steel edge of the cellar entrance.

"I'm sorry," he said, ignoring the chitters from the cellar. "But you ate my cat."

||Reader's POV||

My eyes scan the trees as I breeze down Mirkwood. I feel a chill run down my spine but I can't tell if it's from the cold autumn air or what's to come. I almost miss it, but I break on my bike quickly when I see a small figure standing amongst the trees. Its El. She's dressed in brown and grays and her dark hair blends in with the bark of the trees.

My bike makes an awful screech as the tires skid across the pavement and I cringe. So does El, I notice. She steps forward out of the trees and I dismount the bike, propping it up on its kickstand.

We meet in an embrace and I smile at the contact. She hugs me tightly and we separate.

"I'm so glad you're really here. I was worried I dreamt it all. How are you? Is everything okay?"

She nodded, and the smallest of excited smiles tugged at her lips.

"I found Mama."

"So you really did find your mom, huh?" I ask hopefully.

El's smile grew only slightly and she nodded once more.

"I also found something else."

I nodded, encouraging her to continue.

"The 'Missing Experiment'."

A silence hung in the air and I gulped.

"Is that... ?" I felt the words die on my tongue and I try again. "So, I really am...?"

El looked at me, sympathy in her eyes and she nodded again.

"Yes," she croaked.

I ran a hand down my face, not realizing I had teared up until I felt my hand grow wet. The small droplets on my palm magnified the harsh sting of the cold air and I wiped my hands on my pants, sniffling.

"I think," she continued. "Mama might be able to tell us more. Maybe."

"Well," I said, taking a breath to collect myself. "We better go then, huh?"

||3rd Person POV||

El nodded, and Y/n returned to her bike, El following noiselessly behind. Y/n perked up at the memory and she looked back to El, patting her bike.

"After I lost my bike in the chase last year, my mom got me a new one for Christmas! I have an extra seat, just like Mike's!"

El smiled and stepped forward, and Y/n turned her bike around so it was facing the road. She looked at El once more.

"So, where are we headed?"

"Five-On-Five, Larrabe"

"Um," Timid confusion crossed Y/n's features. "Do you by any chance know what part of town that is?"

El thought about it for a moment but shook her head. Y/n pressed her lips into a firm line as she thought about it aloud.

"Well, we could always ask for directions, I mean I would, so you could stay hidden. I think there's a-"

"Hitch-hike!" El said suddenly as the idea came to her.

"What?"

"Hitch-hike! Like TV,"

Y/n blinked several times, searching her brain for one of millions to begin as to why that was such a bad idea. All she could do was shake her head, sputtering.

"El, we can't-"

But El was too focused on her mission, and much to her delight - and Y/n's chagrin - she heard the deep rumbles of an engine growing louder. She walked past Y/n and stood on the edge of the concrete and stuck her thumb out.

"El, what are you doing? They'll see you, never mind that, do you know how dangerous that is for us?"

Her thumb still out, El turned to look at her friend, a confused look on her face.

"Why us?"

Once again, Y/n was at a loss for words. Without a response, she returned her attention back to the road, where a large truck came to slow. Y/n's heart began to pound faster and in a desperate attempt to save her friend and herself, she dropped her bike and stepped forward to stop El. But El was one step ahead and Y/n's eyes widened when she stopped abruptly, her feet rooted to the ground.

She looked to her feet in fear, and back to El, gaping.

"El! What the hell?" Y/n tried to remain calm, but it was a challenging feat seeing the truck grow closer, words tumbled out of her in a hurry. "El, I promise you we can find another way but this is not a good idea, trust me. He could hurt us,"

El turned back to look at Y/n and gave her an incredulous smile.

"Y/n," she eased. "We can defend ourselves, remember?"

Y/n felt the invisible hold on her legs release and she tied her best not to stumble forward in an awkward fashion. Before she could get another word in, the truck pulled to a stop in front of El and the passenger window rolled down. It was a man with a beard and trucker hat. He looked at the pair with genuine worry for them, which put Y/n's mind at ease in just the slightest.

"You ladies alright?"

El was quick to answer before Y/n could protest.

"We need a ride home. Five-one-five Larrabee"

The man seemed taken aback, and he gave a look around for any sign of the girls' parents.

"Well, uh, sure I guess. You guys a long way from home?"

El nodded and stepped forward. She felt a hand on her wrist and she looked to Y/n gave her one last pleading look.

El lowered her voice and spoke to her friend gently.

"It will be okay, we can protect ourselves. But I'm going Y/n, you can come if you want."

With that, she stepped forward and stood on the tips of her toes to open the passenger door. Y/n felt the surge of anxiety in her stomach, everything warning her against this. But El was getting into a big truck with a strange man, she knew she couldn't stop her, but she had to make sure she was okay. Y/n kicked herself for what she was about to do, never more angered by any decision she has ever made.

And against her better judgment, Y/n climbed into the truck after El.


	20. Dig Dug - P3

||3rd Person POV||

"Alright, this is it. Five-one-five Larrabee, right?"

The truck had pulled to a stop and El leaned over to take a peek out the window passed Y/n. She had sat stiffly the whole ride, barely muttering a word unless it was to cover up a thing that El might have let slip about her identity. The man seemed to understand her weariness and he didn't pry too much. He had only asked necessary questions, like if their parents were looking for them, or if they were alright.

El answered most of the questions, all relatively short answers. Before they knew it, they had crossed town and Y/n was glad she had thought to go back and hide her bike in some bushes back on Mirkwood.

"Yes," El answered. "Thank you,"

Y/n gave a curt nod towards the man and eagerly opened the door. The man's words made her stop and the two girls looked to him.

"You girls make sure to apologize, alright?" He looked to El kindly. "Your Mama must be scared half to death. How long's it been?"

"Long time," El answered.

"Alright," Y/n piped up.

Y/n exited the car, planting her feet firmly on the ground and reached a hand out to El to help her down. She looked at the man and gave him a weak smile.

"Thank you again, sir."

He smiled and nodded in understanding.

"No worries, I get it. You ladies be careful alight?"

Y/n mimicked the man and nodded with a genuine smile.

"Will do, take care."

He nodded once more and put the car in gear, and Y/n closed the door behind her. The truck came to life once more and it took off down the road. Y/n looked to El, readjusting the bag on her shoulders and she frowned when she saw a small smile forming on El's lips.

"What?" She asked.

"See? A nice man."

Y/n rolled her eyes, hating the smile that betrayed her mask of annoyance though she couldn't deny the relief that washed over her.

"Yes, he was nice. But for real, we were pretty lucky. Young girls don't usually fare well when it comes to strange men."

El shrugged and headed down the muddy path in the leaves, Y/n quick to follow. Both of them missing the mailbox labeled Ives. The girls followed the path of the driveway and they saw a small two-story house behind the trees. It wasn't until they reached the porch that El showed a hint of hesitation.

Y/n saw the familiar symptoms of anxiety in her friend and she reached over, grabbing her hand and giving it a light squeeze. El smiled weakly in thanks, giving Y/n's hand a squeeze in response. El released her hand and took a deep breath. She reached out and slapped the door, not quite understanding the concept of knocking just yet. Y/n fought the urge to politely correct her, knowing it was a sensitive time.

They waited patiently, but no one answered. So El reached out and hit the door a little harder. A strained and irritated female voice responded almost immediately.

"Go away, I'm not interested!"

The two girls frowned at one another and returned to their attention to the door. El leaned forward and began pounding on the door, not stopping until the door opened. Soon enough, the door jerked open, restrained by a chain lock. A woman's face could be seen behind the gap. She looked between the two girls, her irritation never waning.

"Look, I don't want any thin mints, alright girls?"

El tilted her head in a frown.

"Thin mints?"

"Or your religious mumbo jumbo, or whatever you girls are trying to sell, I ain't buying."

Before either El or Y/n could respond, she slammed the door in their faces. Y/n sighed sharply and looked to El.

"I could try?"

El shook her head. Y/n had learned a long time ago that El was better with her actions than her words, preferring the former to the latter. Y/n watched in silence as El focused all her attention on the door, her head tilted in a familiar fashion. Y/n heard a few soft clicks on the other side if she strained her ears enough, and seconds later the doorknob turned and the door creaked open.

Becky Ives meanwhile, looked on with a mixture of horror and fascination as the chain lock undid itself on her door. The door itself swung open to reveal the two young girls, side by side, one of them had blood dripping from her nose.

El never blinked, staring at the woman down and spoke slowly and firmly.

"I want to see Mama."

×××

After proper introductions, Becky welcomed the girls inside. Still completely baffled and awestruck that the child her sister had risked her life for was here in her own house. Quietly, and somberly, she led her niece and her niece's friend down the hall and into the living room. She did not know how to explain her sister's state to these children, to her own niece.

Y/n watched from the sidelines with Becky as El saw her mother for the first time. The woman was in a rocking chair, slightly unkempt and lost in her own head.

"Mama?" El croaked, stepping forward into the living room.

Y/n stayed behind with Becky, her hand finding it's way over her mouth as she watched the reunion in pity. She felt as if she didn't have the right to bear witness to this exchange.

The woman was muttering something under her breath, obviously oblivious as to what was happening. Y/n thought she could make out some of the words.

"Run. Breathe. Sunflower. Rainbow."

"Mom? Can you hear me?" El asked, her voice cracking.

She crept forward, knowing logically her mother wouldn't disappear like last time, but it didn't prevent the memory from creeping up in her head.

El knelt down across from her mother, and she could feel tears sting her eyes.

"Mama?"

"Run. Breathe. Sunflower."

El wasn't used to being the talkative one, but she didn't care if it meant she could interact with her mother.

"It's me, Jane."

Y/n blinked through the tears that clouded her vision, surprised to hear the name leave El's lips. El gently laid a hand on her mother's.

"I'm here now."

The woman broke eye contact with the TV for the first time since their arrival and looked over to El. The smallest spark of recognition in her eyes that filled everyone with hope. But it quickly died out when she continued her mantra.

"Run. Breathe. Sunflower. Rainbow."

El looked tearfully behind her towards her newly found aunt.

"What's wrong with Mama?"

Becky, who had been watching as tearfully as Y/n had been, looked at El, clearing aching with pity and somber. All she could muster was choked back a sob and she swiped her nose with her sleeve, not knowing how to explain the difficult situation.

×××

Outside the Palace Arcade, Billy Hargrove's car came to a halting stop. Max grips her board tighter as she opens the door, and her attention is brought back to Billy when he speaks up in a harsh order.

"If you aren't out in an hour," he began.

Max stepped out of the car and leaned down, giving him an eye roll.

"I'm skating home. Yeah, I know."

"Hey!" He snapped, glaring at her through his sunglasses. "Watch the attitude, shitbird."

Max sighed and straightened up, itching to get inside and away from Billy. She slammed the car door behind her, just as soon, he sped away and she threw her middle finger up in the air after his fleeting car, and she stomped inside. Max pushed her way through the crowded arcade and to her favorite machine only to come to a halting stop when she saw the three words every arcade dwelling kid despised.

OUT OF ORDER

A squeaky voice came from her right that made her want to roll her eyes.

"Sorry about that, Rogue Warrior."

She turned to see Keith as he always was, greasy and munching on a bag of chips. Today's choice was Cheetos, and she could see the orange dust staining his fingers.

"What happened?" She asked angrily.

Keith stepped forward and slapped his Cheeto-dusted hand on the top of the machine.

"Short circuit in the motherboard. Real bummer. But fret not, I got another machine up and running in the back."

Hesitantly, she followed Keith to the back. She wondered to herself why in the hell he was going out of his way for her. It wasn't hard to guess that he hated his job and all the kids that accompanied the arcade so why was he bothering to help?

Everything was answered when he unlocked a door marked EMPLOYEES ONLY, standing in the room smiling weakly at her, was none other than Lucas Sinclair.

Angrily, she stepped inside, knowing he would just follow her if she left. She whirled around to glare at Keith, who looked to Lucas pointedly.

"You better get me that date, Sinclair."

"I told you I would."

Keith shushed him, pointing his orange fingers at Lucas.

"And keep things PG in here, alright?" He looked between the two kids in disgust before leaving, closing the door behind him.

Lucas winced at Keith's words, and Max whirled around and stomped towards the boy.

"What is this shit, stalker?"

Lucas stood to his feet quickly.

"I'm sorry," he eased. "I just need a safe place."

Unfortunately, his choice of words did not ease her in any way.

"A safe place to what? Be creepy?"

"Listen, I'm gonna tell you the truth about everything that happened last year, but if anyone finds out you could be arrested... Possibly killed."

Max scoffed, visibly taken aback by his severity.

"Killed?" She asked incredulously.

"I'm serious. Do you accept the risk."

Max threw her head back in exasperation, and she huffed.

"God, this is so stupid!"

Lucas only grew more grave. He looked her in the eye and spoke slower, unable to stress any more the seriousness of the situation.

Max shrugged in defeat, giving up and deciding to humor the boy.

"Yeah. Sure. Fine," she set down her board and took a seat, waving him off. "I accept the risk."

Lounging in a chair, arms crossed she looked at Lucas expectantly. He had taken a seat across from her, knowing he was in for a rough ride with his friends.

"Well, let's hear it."

Here goes nothing.

"Last year, Will didn't get lost in the woods. He got lost somewhere else."

Max shifted uncomfortably when she heard finally accepted his unwavering tone. He was deeply concerned and no matter how hard she searched, she couldn't find even a hint of humor. Max was finally beginning to feel concerned herself.

×××

Will continued scribbling away on another parchment of paper. Miraculously, his arm had not yet grown tired despite his feverish strokes and the fact that this picture was one of hundreds.

He stopped suddenly, looking at his work, disturbed. Joyce, who had been waiting over his shoulder with Mike, leaned down pointing to the drawing.

"Is this where you saw him? Hopper?"

Will sat back, looking at the drawing and he nodded.

"Mm-hm, I think so," he mumbled.

Joyce grabbed the drawing and began searching the house for its rightful spot, Mike joined her. She was in the kitchen, holding the parchment up to a gap on the wall, but it didn't quite seem to fit, she heard Mike's triumphant cry.

"Over here!"

She crossed the kitchen to where Mike stood by the fridge. Sure enough, there was a gap between one large tunnel and two thinner ones splitting off. Joyce kneeled down to place the missing piece.

"Okay, so Hopper is here."

Mike nodded.

"Yeah, we just need to find out where here is, right?"

Joyce nodded, her brows furrowed in thought.

"Right."

"Did he say anything? I mean, before he left?"

She sighed, trying to make sense of Hopper's departing words before he disappeared through the door.

"Uh, something about vines?"

They both paused when they heard the rumbling of an approaching car. Joyce and Mike ran to the front room, hoping by some miracle Hopper was okay and he had returned. Their hopes fell when they saw red Toyota Camry Liftback belonging to Bob Newby.

Joyce quickly stepped out onto the porch, where Bob was carrying a small stack of puzzles. He smiled widely at her.

"Surprise! I would've called but you said not to clog up the line."

Joyce smiled weakly, leaning against the beam of her front porch.

"We're fine, we don't need anything." She eased nervously.

"When I was a kid, and I was sick all the time as a kid, nothing made me feel better than focusing on these brain teasers."

She smiled nervously.

"Those are great," Bob looked hopefully at Joyce and she forced a normal smile. "He's sleeping"

Bob tried to hide his disappointment and he nodded.

"Okay," Bob perked up, bouncing on his heel ever so slightly. "I could wait with you?"

Joyce sighed, and shook her head, giving him an apologetic look

"Now's just not a good time. But you know what, I'll call you." She placed a hand on his cheek bringing him closer and gave a gentle peck before pulling away. "Thank you,"

He couldn't stop himself from smiling and he nodded. "You sure?"

"Yeah,"

"Well you have him call me, they don't call me Bob the brain for nothin," he said, stepping off the porch and heading back to his car.

Joyce nodded and began to head back inside when suddenly she paused. A light bulb went off in his head.

"Bob!"

Bob stopped outside his car and smiled, extending his arms out in a goofy mock introduction.

"That's my name!"

But how would she explain this without giving everything away?

×××

Needless to say, Bob was very much caught off guard when he stepped inside the Byers home. He tried his best to ignore his judgemental thoughts after all the family was going through a troubling time and what they chose to do to keep their minds off of it was their business. It was curious though.

"Huh"

Bob turned to Will who had been standing behind him.

"You drew all these, yourself?"

"Mm-hm."

Bob returned his attention back to the tunnels, processing everything. Though he could not hold back his curiosity any longer.

"Can I ask why?"

Joyce shook her head.

"I told you the rules, no questions."

Disappointed but understanding, Bob nodded showing his compliance. Joyce continued as she walked through the house, expecting him to follow.

"We just need your help figuring out what it is,"

Bob was still lost in thought until he heard Joyce's urgent calls.

"Bob, come on, over here."

Handing the stack of puzzles to Mike, Bob followed Joyce into the kitchen. He found kneeling on the ground drawing a large red 'x' on one of the pieces of paper.

"Can you tell me what this is?"

Joyce stepped back to allow Bob to examine the tunnels, Mike joined them gesturing to the 'x'.

"That's the objective, find the 'x'," Mike added.

"Yeah?" Bob asked, leaning down to examine the picture. "What's the 'x', pirate treasure?"

Bob chuckled and Joyce was quick to redirect his attention.

"Bob, no questions." She reminded him firmly.

"Okay," Bob sighed, and he gently pulled Joyce aside. "Joyce, you can talk to me. You know that, right?"

Joyce became visibly uncomfortable, trying to play off her avoidance.

"Uh, yeah, of course. What's the problem, exactly?"

"What's the problem?" Bob laughed nervously, gesturing around the decorated room. "Will doesn't look well, you don't look well. What's going on?"

"Nothing!" She said defensively. "Nothing."

"Is this another episode? Is this another one of Will's episodes?"

"No, no. No!"

Bob sputtered, a hand resting on his forehead, rubbing it nervously.

"I'm sorry, I j-just don't see how any of this is good for Will, or for you? And even if I wanted to play along, I mean, I don't know if I can figure anything out if I don't understand the context of the game! Or..."

Bob had trailed off, and Joyce noticed something had caught his eye and attention just over her shoulder.

"What? What is it?" She looked from Bob back to the window where he had been staring.

"I know that shape."

Around the window, a trail of tunnels had created an oddly twisted circle that almost looked like a heart.

"That's Lovers Lake," He smiled triumphantly, everything began to click. "That's Lovers Lake!"

Excitedly, Bob turned around and back into the kitchen leaving their past discussion.

"I get it! Okay, I get it! That's Lake Jordan,"

Bob gestured to the shape formed on the walls out in the hall, continuing through the house, Joyce on his tail. He reached the living room, pointed excitedly to more tunnels.

"And if that's Lake Jordan, then that would mean- yup! Settlers Quarry!"

Bob's eyeliner trailed to the floors, now fully immersed in the puzzle. Everyone was quick to follow.

"And if you just follow it naturally, it moves to Eno River!" Bob stood across the corner of the living room, pointing to the cor or before continuing his explanation.

"And there it is! That's the Eno, do you see it? Okay, so the lines aren't roads but they act like roads" Bob made his way back into the kitchen. "And they act like roads cause if you follow them you'll see they don't go over water! And that's the giveaway. That's the giveaway!"

Bob made circles around the table, ending up in front of the fridge while everyone else listened intently, their hopes rising.

"Hah! Don't you get it? It's not a puzzle, it's a map! It's a map of Hawkins!"

He looked on in amazement, baffled by the creativity and the ability. Will and Mike looked at each other in surprise, and Joyce was looking at Bob in shock. Bob looked to Will and smiled.

"Right Will?"

Will found himself speechless, shocked himself at the revelation. Though he couldn't quite dismiss the feeling of disappointment and anger deep inside himself.

×××

Hopper caught the movement from the corner of his eye and was quick to bring his foot down, squashing the vines that had come alive at his feet.

"Does anybody copy?"

Hopper had been trying his radio all night, and while there were no signs of a response, he continued to call for help.

"Look, if anybody copies this is Jim Hopper, Hawkins chief-"

His finger left the button and static echoed off the walls. He was looking on in shock as he found himself in a wide-open space, with several tunnels connecting. The beam of his flashlight traveled the walls and onto the ceiling where large spores, bigger than his own head, were breathing and puffing out spurts of more flakes. He jumped to the side, startled when something had come alive by his feet, another vine that had tried to grab at him.

Hopper squinted in the darkness. Although his eyes had adjusted, and his flashlight still worked, it had begun to dim and he could have sworn he saw branches on the wall move. He reached for his lighter, flicking it on with the same old sleight of hand. He brought the orange flame to a wall of vines and branches, his eyes were quite pleased to see a change of color than the suffocating deep violets all around him.

The branches, he noticed, twitched and writhed under the heat. His hopes rose as the underbrush withered, and a plan formed in the cogs of his mind. He retraced his steps to the center of the hub, where he had stepped on a pile of bones earlier. The revolting find was now a godsend. Swallowing his previous disgust, he plucked the largest bone of the bunch and discarded his outer shirt altogether.

Eagerly, he wrapped the grimy cloth around the end of the large bone and lit the makeshift torch. His uniform quickly went up in flames just as the man had hoped and he quickly returned the tangle of branches. It didn't take long for the vines to retreat, they hissed as they recoiled, peeling back to reveal the grime of the tunnels' side.

He planted the torch in the ground, keeping the flame intact should he require it again. Quickly he got to work, surprisingly it took little effort to break the surface of the tunnels. It was the same slimy webbing of the Upside Down and it split easily. It was only a matter of time before he was out.

At least, he hoped so.

×××

Dustin has gotten used to the sight of bloodied fur by now though he couldn't say he wouldn't be traumatized from the encounter. Mews' body and the majority of her injuries have only just now been covered. It had taken him longer than expected to dig a small cat grave, though now at least he could finally put her to rest.

Exasperated, he dug the shovel in the newly lain dirt and sighed, activating his comms once more.

"Guys, this is Dustin again. Does anyone copy? This is a code red. I repeat, a code red!"

No answer.

"I really need someone to pick up here,"

He had tried yet again, only now he was far more perturbed. And not just because he was under the kitchen sink, where it always reeked of bleach.

Yes, he shouldn't have kept Dart a secret. He knew this, and now he was paying for it. For christ's sake, he just buried his cat and if that didn't already come with a boatload of trauma and guilt that he would be repressing for years to come, trying to deal with Dart alone would surely do the trick. But Dustin was tired of the radio silence, it was driving him nuts and it was really starting to worry him.

And now he couldn't find his freaking gloves! Oh, there they were. Dustin plucked them from the back of the cabinet where they had been hiding, and he slipped them on, glad to have his head out of the stinky cabinet space.

"Hopper's MIA," he continued into the headset. "and I've got a code red. Code red!"

"All right, it's Dustin again," he eased, shoving down all his rising anxieties. "Seriously, I have a code red."

"Can you please shut up?"

Dustin perked, temporarily forgetting his task of scrubbing his bloodied carpet. It was Erica, Lucas's sister.

"Erica? Erica, is Lucas there? Where is he?"

"Don't know. Don't care."

"I-is he with Mike or Y/n? Anybody?"

Erica, meanwhile, paced around her brother's room his walkie in hand as she half-heartedly examined his so-called toys. She always found them less than interesting for her taste but she deemed his He-Man toy interesting enough for her to fiddle with for the time being.

"Like I said, I don't know and I don't care."

Didn't this kid have ears? He sure did have a mouth, that was for sure.

"Please tell him it's super important. Please tell him I have a code--"

"Code red?" She asked annoyed.

"Yep, code red. Exactly."

"Mm-hmm. I got a code for you instead. It's called code shut-your-mouth."

With no more time to waste, she switched the walkie off, happy torrid herself of the broken record. All Dustin was left with was the familiar company of silence that fell over the air.

||Reader's POV||

"I just need a little help understanding, sweetie, okay?"

My arms still folded on top of my chest, I return my gaze to El. I haven't said much since our arrival, given it was such a sensitive time and place.

The three of us were sat at the kitchen table, Becky - El's aunt, I guess - is still trying to get El to talk. I look to my right, where El sits. She is still watching her mother in the other room, where she remains sitting, eyes still glued to the TV. I feel much like her in that regard, I feel stuck, not able to fix the situation in any way. I'm forced to watch El long for her mother, unable to comprehend what she must be going through right now.

Becky continues to try and persuade her, get her to talk. She has asked me a few times but I've made it clear that I'm not going to share anything on El's behalf, given it's not my place.

"Can you tell me where you came from? Where you've been all this time?"

I've remained relatively silent during the whole ordeal, only watching the exchange, speaking only when necessary. That is until I hear what Becky says next.

"A policeman and a woman came looking for you last year. Did they find you?"

Becky noticed my attention was captured, and she directed her question at me.

"Do you know them?"

I nodded, looking briefly to El whose eyes were still fixed on her mother. I looked back at Becky.

"Yes, I think so. Was that Joyce Byers by any chance?"

"Uh, yeah, I think so, that sounds right. Is she your mom?"

"No, I just- I didn't realize they were ever here," I mumble.

My eyes fall back to my glass. She offered us food and water. I gratefully accepted an apple she had leftover - which now occupied the trash can as of about half an hour ago - and now I sat across from my water glass. For the past fifteen minutes, I've been watching the droplets of condensation race down the outside of the cup.

El broke the small moment of silence, directing attention back to her.

"She won't get better..." she mumbled sadly, eyes still fixed across to the living room. "will she?"

I looked to Becky, a somber mask covered her features. Her fingers drummed over her other hand, her arms folded across one another on the table, and I could tell she was struggling with the emotion of it all herself. Not knowing how to explain it to us, to her.

"They don't think so, no." She whispered sadly, she sniffled. "She's not in any pain. She's just stuck, they think. Like in a dream. A long dream."

El finally broke her gaze and returned her attention to Becky. There was a great - understandable - sadness in her eyes that made my heart ache.

"A good dream?" She asked softly.

Becky responded in an equally soft voice, and I could tell her heart was breaking all over again.

"I hope so."

El sighed and looked back wistfully to her mother.

"Is it the same dream?"

"We don't know," Becky answered. "Sometimes she says different words. But usually those."

El whimpers softly and I feel my heart breaks all over again. I guess Becky and I have the same instinct seeing as we both reach out to comfort her. My hand finds it's way on her arm, and I rub it soothingly. Becky had reached across the table, extending her arm out in solace.

"She always believed you were out there." I could her voice breaking. "She always believed you'd come home one day."

El looked back to Becky, her eyes dampening.

"Home?" She asked hopefully.

It occurs to me that El has never really had a place to call home. I guess it's easy for me to forget how easy I've had it.

"Yeah," Becky sniffles. "home."

×××

I watch the water circle the drain, I take advantage of the white noise it provides, allowing me to mask my sniffles.

Becky was showing El where her room would have been. I politely excused myself from the private moment and I was now hiding out in the bathroom. I miss Dustin and I miss my mom. I'm glad I came, and I'm more than willing to take a step back during this time and wait for the answers I came here for. But I guess I just didn't comprehend the actual intensity of the situation. Of course I knew it would be intense, and it was already hard enough making the decision to come here with her to see her mom. But I guess, no matter how much I anticipated would happen, neither of us could have comprehended the state her mother was in.

My thoughts are disrupted by the small hum of flickering lights. I look up at the bulb above the sink in curiosity. I'm used to bad things happening after such occurrences. Curious, I step out into the hallway, it seems the bathroom wasn't the only faulty light. I cross the hallway and return to the kitchen, the source of the next flickering light.

What the hell?

The bulb returns to normal, and for a moment nothing happens. That is until a soft hum in the other room catches my ear. I turn my head and see the lamp next to El's mother. I felt uneasy about going into the other room alone with her mother, luckily timing was on my side as I soon heard two pairs of footsteps descending the stairs. I quickly turned around and gestured over my shoulder.

"I think there's something..."

I trailed off when I saw the light pooling in from the stairway had been flickering. El fixed her attention past me, where the tiny lamp had begun to flicker once more. She came forward and I stepped aside allowing El to examine it while my attention fell to Becky.

"Yeah the lighting in the bathroom was faulty, I came outside and it was like that out here too. It was weird, almost like a trail."

Becky nodded knowingly at me.

"We were having it too. The house, it does that from time to time, but sweetie," she returned her attention to El, still focused on the lamp. "really, it's just faulty wiring."

"No." She stated, looking across the room towards her mother and the flickering lamp.

Without another word she sped into the living room, me and Becky followed her, more than confused. El took a knee beside her mother. Her mother was muttering more than before, I could have sworn.

"It's Mama," El concluded.

I heard Terry's mumbles, still the same phrases over and over, just as Becky had told us. But she did sound more urgent.

"Run. Breathe. Sunflower. Three to the right, four to the left. Rainbow. Run."

It isn't El brings her finger to her mother's nose that I notice blood is dripping from her nostril. I choke back a gasp at the sight, and Becky looks from me to her sister and niece.

"I don't understand."

"She knows I'm here," El said softly.

I jump when the TV switches channels, and I watch with bated breath as it all unfolds. The knob on the set moves in sudden spurts as if an invisible hand is turning it. In a way, I guess, it is. The channels began speeding up, each clip shorter than the last until finally, it stopped on a screen of static. El rose to her feet as it all happened and she stood before the screen of static before finally speaking up.

"She wants to talk."


	21. Dig Dug - P4 - FINAL

Warnings: Racism

||3rd Person POV||

"Alright," Bob calls out. "I got 2.5 inches. What'd you got?"

"I'm not sure" Mike calls from Joyce's room. "Mrs. Byers."

"Hold on!" She calls, stretching the measuring tape around the corner.

The group had set out to find the x on the maps. With Bob's help, they were able to pinpoint most of the locations depicted through Will's drawings. Unfortunately, they had yet to find the spot where Hopper was. Bob was at the kitchen table, mapping out coordinates while Mike and Joyce measured the distances between marked areas.

"Twenty-one feet, four inches."

"What about Tippecanoe to Danford Creek?" Bob asked.

Joyce's face scrunched up as she thought of where she last saw it.

"Da-Danford, Danford?"

"Dining room!" Will answered excitedly.  
Joyce joined him with the measuring tape. She turned to face Bob who was in the other room.

"Sixteen feet, ten inches."

"What about Danford to Jordan?"

Joyce sighed, hurrying across the room to Bob's side.

"That's gotta be enough?"

Bob began sputtering, shaking his head sadly.

"It's not. It's really not."

"Can't you f-figure it out?"

By now, everyone was regrouped around the table. Everyone was watching Bob hopefully. He shrugged.

"Well, it's hard. The ratio isn't exactly one to one. I-I mean, if you're twisting my arm, and you're twisting my arm, I would say the x is" he drew a few lines on the map with his ruler, double-checking his math. "maybe, a half-mile southeast of Danford?"  
A beaming smile found its way onto Joyce and she exclaimed happily.

"Thank you!"

She leaned down and planted a big kiss on Bob's cheek, bringing a smile of his own to his lips.

Grabbing the map, she took out of the room, Mike, Will and a confused Bob behind her.

"What? Are we really going?"

×××

Dustin pulls his bike into the Wheeler driveway. Hopefully, Mike was home. And hopefully, he'd have a pretty damn good explanation as to why he wasn't answering his coms! He stood at the front door, repeatedly ringing the doorbell and waited impatiently. He could have sworn he heard a muffled voice call out.

"Ted, can you get that please?"

When Mr. Wheeler opened the door, Dustin tried to remain as cool and collected as possible though it was difficult. He looked Mr. Wheeler in the eye and spoke carefully.

"Your line has been busy for over two hours, do you realize that?"

With the same unimpressed look painted across the man's face, as it always was, he nodded simply.

"I do realize."

"Is Mike home?"

"No."

"No?" Dustin repeated, his composure cracking. "Well, where the hell is he?"

Mr. Wheeler's usual plain and tepid voice raised suddenly as he looked behind him into the house.

"Karen, where's our son?"

"Will's!" Came Mrs. Wheeler's voice from inside.

Mr. Wheeler calmly and disinterestedly looked back to Dustin.

"Will's," he said simply.

Dustin sighed heavily.

"No one's picking up there. Nancy, what about Nancy?" He tried.

"Karen, where's Nancy?"

"Ally's!" She answered shortly.

"Ally's," Mr. Wheeler said and he shrugged. "As you can see, our children don't live here anymore. You didn't know that?"

Dustin felt all his hope evaporate as he looked at the dull man.

"Now, are we done here?" He asked pointedly.

Dustin sighed heavily, all efforts to be polite were long gone.

"Son of a bitch, you're really no help at all, you know that?" He said over his shoulder, as he walked away.

Ted called put lazily after the boy, his heart not fully in the fight.

"Hey, language!"

Dustin had returned to his bike, he picked it up hotly, now feeling completely on edge. His ears perked up when he saw a car pull up near the sidewalk. He watched in curiosity until he saw someone unexpected climb out. Steve Harrington. He was lazily carrying a bouquet of roses that hung at his side and he was nervously muttering to himself as he made his way across the lawn.

"Listen, I've been thinking, love you, I'm sorry. 'Sorry', what the hell am I sorry for?"  
"Steve!"

Steve was equally surprised to see the Henderson kid eagerly making his way towards himself. He stopped as the kid approached him, and he gestured to the flowers in his hands.

"Are those for Mr. or Mrs. Wheeler?" He asked.

Steve gave the boy an odd look and shook his head.

"No, they're for-"

"Great," Dustin ripped the bouquet from his unsuspecting hands and headed for Steve's car.

"Hey, what the hell? Hey!"

"Nancy isn't home," Dustin answered simply.

"Well, where is she?"

"Doesn't matter. We have bigger problems than your love life. You still have that bat?"  
Steve watched as Dustin opened the passenger side door and looked to him expectantly.

"Bat? What bat?"

"The one with the nails." He replied, obviously.

"Why?"

"I'll explain it on the way."

Dustin climbed into the passenger seat and only then did Steve snapped into action. Breaking into a jog, he couldn't help but ask.

"Wh-? Now?"

"Now!"

With that, Dustin closed the car door and watched impatiently as the boy made his way to the front seat.

×××

Hopper groans as he swipes yet another handful of dirt behind him. He stops for another break though he knows he shouldn't. If it hadn't been for his watch, he surely would have lost all sense of time. And all his had managed to show for it was a hole in the wall two feet long that barely fit his torso. An overwhelming sense of defeat blankets the man and he feels himself slide down the wall of dirt and onto the floor.

He could feel the tickle in his lungs grow stronger and he coughed weakly. Despite the tightness in his chest, he does what always brings him false feelings of comfort. He pulls out his pack of cigarettes. In his weakened hazy state, Hopper fails to notice the small but thick tendrils of vines snaking their way towards his legs.

Before he can do anything to stop them, he sees the thick ropes curl around his ankle and he jolts at the sudden contact. He scrambles to his feet in a panic, momentarily losing his balance.

"Son of a bitch!"

He bends down and begins to claw frantically at the vines. Stopping himself before he can waste more time, he searches his pockets until his fingers land on the cool metal of his knife. Quickly, he pulls out the tool, unsheathing the blade and he brings it to the vines that are now up to both his knees. Unfortunately, he is too focused on the vines at his feet, he fails to notice the vine that has made its way up to his back and around his neck.

Hopper grunts as his back hit the ground, knocking the air out of him. Hardly any time passes for him to be completely ensnared in the sentient undergrowth and his cries for help are quickly smothered and snuffed out, buried underground with him.

×××

"And that was the last we ever saw her. After that, she was just, gone. I can't believe it's been that long, it feels like yesterday." Lucas finishes.

Max nods, a concentrated frown on her face.

"Yeah, I mean, I bet," she says, lifting Lucas's hopes. "Wow"

Lucas nods, a sense of relief washing over him at how the skeptic was taking it. She had, for the most part, remained silent during his story. She didn't show any effort to hide her confusion but seemed to go along with it.

"It's crazy, I know."

"It's crazy, but," she shrugged. "I really liked it."

It was Lucas's turn to be confused.  
"You like it?"

"Yeah," she frowned slightly, a tight smile on her face. "Well, I mean, I had a few issues?"

"Issues?"

"I just felt it was a little derivative at some parts."

Lucas was flabbergasted, and his high hopes came crashing down to the ground.

"What are you talking about."

She shrugged simply, tucking her palms in her lap as she looked at him with irritation.  
"I just wish it had a little more originality, is all."

Lucas could feel anger bubbling up in his chest. He leaned forward, a frown etched into his brows.

"You don't believe me?"

Max chortled and gave the boy a pathetic glance. Her voice began to rise steadily, her own anger taking over her false intrigue.

"Lucas, come on, seriously? How gullible do you think I am?"

"Why would I make this up?" Lucas shot back.

"I don't know! To impress me, or something? Or, you're just like, insane."  
"I tell you all of this," Lucas declares hotly, rising to his feet. "I mean, top-secret stuff, risking my life, and this is how you react?"

Max scoffed, still not allowing herself the possibility of believing what he had told her to hide the small seedling of fear that had burrowed itself inside her. She did as she had learned to survive. Brush it off.  
She looked at him with an amused expression painted on her face.

"'Risking your life?'"

The frustration festered inside of Lucas at the girl's unwavering amusement at the traumatic experience.

"Oh, so this is funny to you?"

"Yeah, I mean, kinda funny?"

Lucas only glared at her, and a smug smile finds its way onto her face as she rises to her feet.

"Stupid, but funny."

Shrugging him and the properly burrowed feeling of fear off her shoulders, she waltzed towards the door, her board in hand.

"Where are you going?"

She stopped and gave him a passing look.  
"Story time's over, isn't it?"

Lucas feels the harsh sting of her words and decides he wants to put in a few of his own. As she strides out of the arcade, he stays on her heels.

"What is wrong with you? I gave you what you wanted."

"I wanted to be a part of the group, not apart of some joke."

Her mask of anger had begun to crack, and shining through was genuine hurt. Lucas did his best to convey his seriousness, though at this point he didn't know how much good it would do.

"It's not a joke," he said again slowly.

"You did a good job, okay?" She said, nodding though Lucas could still detect a hint of sadness. "And you can go tell the others that I believed your lies and get your little experience points, or whatever."

Quickly, she turned on her heels, her red hair whipping over her shoulder and he quickly followed, grabbing her arm gently. She turned to look at him shocked, but he quickly released her and spoke softly once more.

"We have a lot of rules in our party, okay? But the most important thing is, friends don't lie. Never, ever, no matter what."

"Is that right?" She said confidence dripping from her words knowing she had caught him. "Then how do you explain this?"

This time, she gestured for him to follow her. They turned the corner and into the isle of games. She swiftly ripped the piece of paper from the screen that read, OUT OF ORDER, and stuck it on Lucas's chest with remaining bits of tape that resided on the back.

Lucas sighed, ripping the piece of paper off his shoulder and gave her a pleading look.  
"I had to do that, to protect you."

Max snapped once more, her anger and her own frustrations getting the best of her.  
"Protect me from who, exactly?" Max's voice began to rise in volume. "The big government baddies at Hawkins Lab."  
She rested her board against the machine, and she angrily stuffed her hands into her pockets for coins before inserting them into Dig Dug as she yelled at the boy.

As calmly and discreetly as possible, he spoke to her as his eyes darted around the arcade.

"Keep your voice down."

Her demeanor shifted to quickly to that of exaggerated understanding.

"Or maybe to protect me from the Demogorgon from another dimension."

"Max, I'm serious, shut up!"

Ignoring him, and his voice still rising, she turned to him, this time speaking with exaggerated excitement.

"No, no, no. I know, it was Y/n and her other superpowered friend, what was it? Eleven-"  
Max's eyes widened when Lucas suddenly threw his hands over her mouth. His eyes were pleasing and he whispered under his breath, begging her.

"Stop. Talking." He glanced over her shoulder worriedly. "You are going to get us killed. Do you understand?"

Only then did it click for Max when she saw the desperation, the fear, in Lucas's eyes. It was enough to chill her to the bone. She pulled his arm away from her face and looked at him seriously for the first time since he tricked her. Desperately, she searched his eyes. For anything, any sign of humor, any hint that he was putting up an act to convince her. But to her horror, she saw only fear.

"You're serious?"

He stepped back, his voice still low.

"I really wish I wasn't."

She quickly recovered, and while she had begun to believe, her skepticism was quickly trying to convince her otherwise.

"Prove it."

A defeated look washed over Lucas. He shrugged lightly.

"I can't."

"So what? I'm just supposed to trust you?"  
He nodded solemnly. "Yes."

She shifted on her feet lightly and something clicked.

"Can't Y/n show me her little trick or whatever, just-"

A car engine roared to life outside, cutting her off. She sped to the window and much to her chagrin, it was exactly who she had suspected.

"Shit, I gotta go."

Pulling yet another surprise from her sleeve, she faced Lucas and grabbed his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. She looked deeply, but briefly, into his eyes, giving him a pleading look of her own.

"Don't follow me out. Okay?" She whispered gently.

She released his hand and opens the door, heading out. Lucas couldn't stop the words that left his mouth in desperation.

"Do you believe me?"

She never answered, and he watched solemnly as she scurried to the blue Camaro and scrambled inside. Someone pushed past his shoulders trying to get by, the door still cracked open unknowingly giving away his presence to Billy Hargrove.  
Max scrambled inside the car, tucking in her feet and her board and closed the door. Billy, who had his head resting on the headrest and looking out of the window seething.

"The hell I tell you?" He growled.

Max gave him an odd look.

"I'm not late."

"You know what I'm talking about."

Swallowing her fear, she quickly recovered and masked her face with confusion.

"Oh, Lucas?"

Billy scoffed in disgust, his brows furrowed under his sunglasses as his anger rose.

"So he has a name now, huh?"

She cursed herself for stammering, knowing he would pick up on it but prayed he didn't.

"It's a small town, okay? We weren't hanging out." She assures him.

Billy shrugs lightly, and his voice lowered.  
"Hmm. Well, you know what happens when you lie."

Max shook her head.

"I'm not lying."

For the first time in their exchange, Billy looks at Max. His head lazily rolled over to his other shoulder and he searches her face quickly. Thankfully, he seems to buy it and returns his gaze to the road, his left arm still hanging out of the window and the car speeds off. After the car is gone, Lucas seems it safe to exit and he scurries to the parking lot, watching the car disappear.  
Worriedly, she looks out the window behind her before quickly looking forward in fear of being caught.

×××

El and Y/n watch patiently in the kitchen as Becky cuts an old towel in two. She holds it up to them, the cloth now the perfect size and shape for a makeshift blindfold.  
"Like this?"

El nodded, her chin still resting gently on her palm.

"Yes."

The three returned to the living room, and Y/n, per El's request, had turned the volume up on the television set so the static echoed throughout the room.

El sat on the carpet, legs folded beneath her as she folded the cloth into a proper blindfold. Becky sat to the left of Y/n, who sat criss-cross just a foot or two away from El, giving her space.

"It's okay if I sit here, right?"

"Yes," El said, securing the blindfold around her eyes.

"And I won't mess it up or anything?"

"No," El answered, growing short.

"Okay." Becky licked her lips nervously, looking longingly towards her sister.

"If you talk to Terry, will you tell her that I love her very much? And that I'm sorry that I didn't believe--"

"Stop talking," El said crossly.

"Okay, sorry," Becky mumbled.

Y/n caught her eye, and she mouthed a 'sorry'. Becky's lips pressed into a firm line, shrugging, implying she didn't take it too seriously. Her attention was mostly concentrated on her sister, and Y/n had begun to feel the same as Becky did. In the aspect that she felt out of place while El communicated to her mother.

"Breathe. Sunflower. Rainbow." Terry mumbled, her fingers twitching and lips twitching. "Run. Breathe. Sunflower."

El awoke in the familiar dark landscape, her toes curling slightly in the imaginary water. 

Her mother sat before her, just as she looked moments ago in the living room.

"Run. Breathe. Sunflower. Rainbow."

El timidly made the journey forward, growing closer to her mother which each step. She only hoped this would work.

"Three to the right, four to the left. Four fifty. Run."

"Mama?"

"Sunflower. Rainbow."

"Mama, it's me..."

"-four to left. Four fifty."

"...Jane."

Her heart was hammering in her chest, but she did her best to remain calm. Her mother was only feet away, she was upset with herself for being nervous, she had wanted this her whole life. Yet, the closer she got the more nervous she became.

"Breathe. Rainbow."

"I'm here now,"

"Four fifty."

El took the final step, now only inches away from her mother. After the words left her tongue, everything happened quickly.  
"I'm home."

The women's head snapped in her direction, her eyes boring into El's, desperation clouding them.

"No."

Terry reached for her daughter, her hand reaching out and snatching El's hand, startling her. El was jerked forward and before she knew it, she felt her eyes open on the black landscape. Instantly she had been transported further into her mother's mind, but she had yet to figure that out. To her it felt as if everything was rebooted, like she had only just now woken up in the void and the last few moments hadn't happened.

But she was alone.

"Mama!"

Her wails were interrupted by uneven footsteps scurrying behind her. El whirled around to see a woman in a long orange dress running to the right. Eagerly, she followed and she watched in horror as the woman she now recognized as a younger version of her mother, had begun to slow. She was grasping her very pregnant belly and panting heavily, seemingly trying to catch her breath and continue on. Before she could reach out to her mother, try to talk to her, El found herself watching curiously as her mother looked worriedly over her shoulder.

Her eyes were filled with sorrow and she whimpered, her lip quivering as she tried not to cry. Curiously, El turned to see what her mother was looking at and her eyes widened at the sight. El noticed she was wearing a hospital gown similar to the one she wore back in Hawkins lab. Her [m/b/t] (mother's body type) figure wobbled tiredly across the landscape, heading straight for them. She was panting heavily like she had been running a great distance, and her speed was rapidly decreasing. Behind her, a swarm of angry men in uniform - bad men, El realized - hot on her heels.

"Terry!" She cried. "Go! Now! You can still make it! You know where to go-!"

The woman was tackled to the ground, and she wailed in pain. El jumped back in fear even though she wasn't too close. El got a better look at her, and she watched in sorrow and guilt as the woman was grabbed roughly and yanked to her feet. She was dragged away, screaming and kicking, fighting for her life.

"Terry, what are you waiting for?! RUN!"

El watched aghast as the [m/b/t] (you're mother's body type) woman was pulled farther and farther away, her screams never ceasing. Unlike anything she had ever seen in the void, she could make out the bad men turning a corner and they disappeared around an invisible corner. Before El could make put what happened, a loud bang was heard and the screams stopped. El stumbled back in fear, tears streaming from her eyes. Her ankle caught something and she fell backward into the thin pool of water. She hid her face in her hands, the panic rising in her chest and she realized she was hyperventilating. The sound of her mother's wailing brought her out of her panic, or at least it redirected it.

Her mother had similar tear streaks running down her cheeks and El knew her mother was in the same boat. But her eyes fell to her mother's large stomach and she finally noticed the emerging bloodstains running down her dress. Throughout the whole ordeal, El wondered why her mother didn't take the woman's advice, why did she stop? And where was she telling her mother to go? Millions of questions like these had bounced around her brain as everything unfolded, too caught up in the horror of what just unfolded to try and answer them. But now El knew.

She knew why her mother stopped. She was in pain and she was bleeding a great deal. She scrambled to her feet to help her mother but she did not know what to do.

"Mama? Mama!"

Just as soon, her mother groaned in pain and stumbled to the ground, grasping her stomach. El immediately and tearfully knelt beside her sobbing mother, laying a shaky hand on her mother's arm.

"Mama! Mama!"

The woman wailed, clutching her stomach, completely unfazed by El's presence.

"Oh, my baby!" She cried worriedly.

"What do I do?" El asked frantically. "Mama, what do I do? Help me!"

A familiar voice echoes out, calling out fearfully.

"Terry? Terry!"

"Mama, what do I do? How do I help you?"

"Terry, where were you? Oh, my God!"

El looks up in the direction of the voice, only for everything to blur. El is transported outside, nothing she can identify but she sees the face of the familiar voice. It's Becky, she's younger and she is looking right at El.

"Oh, my God," she sniffles, looking around worriedly. "Okay, breathe. Just breathe, alright? Breathe."

She sees her mother lying on the grass yards away from a house, and now she knows she is not seeing through her own eyes. She is reliving her mother's past.

"They're on their way, okay?"

El sees her mother's hand reach for her bleeding stomach and look back at Becky.

"They got her. [y/m/n], they got [y/m/n]. I have to go, I have to leave! I have to get her out, I h-have to get her out-" Terry wails in agony, clutching her stomach. "She did it. She got... her out... I need to go- AAHH"

Becky shakes her head, reaching out for her as she takes Terry's hand in comfort.

"Terry, no! Just breathe, alright? You need to breathe, I've told you, no one is coming for her, alright?"

"They wanted her, and they're gonna want Jane! Don't make me do this," she wailed, shaking her head.

She lets out another wail of agony and everything begins to fade.

"Terry!"

Everything goes black and the next thing El knows is she is being wheeled through a hallway, two nurses looking at her.

"Stay with us, darling. Stay with us."

El sees her mother writhing in pain on the moving bed, clutching her stomach.

Big lights swarm her vision, and she looks around as several people in green clothing and latex gloves stand and move around her. El sees her mother groaning on the table in pain, and slowly a gloved hand brings a mask of some sort to her face.

El sees a small blade glide across her mother's skin, blood dripping from the cut and the next thing she sees is a tiny infant come into view. It cries with its small high voice, visibly animated in movement. El realizes it's her, and her mother is fighting to stay awake. A set of eyes, all too familiar to El, come into view. The man's face is mostly covered by his mask, but El knows all too well it's Papa. Confirming her suspicions, the man pinches the white mask and pulls it down to his chin revealing the face of the man that tortured her for years.

Everything goes black once more. It is quiet, and for a moment El thinks the vision is over. But a bright light reveals itself, and the first thing El can identify is a vase of sunflowers.

Her vision plans over to see a tearful Becky. She gives the weakest of smiles and speaks, El can hear the lump in her throat as she is holding back her tears.

"Hey, there."

Her mother stirs awake on the hospital bed. She groans, and looks around worriedly.

"Jane? Where's Jane?"

Becky shakes her bowed head, tears clouding her eyes.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." She croaks, reaching forward and taking her hand. "Honey, she didn't make it. I'm so sorry, Ter, I'm so sorry."

Terry shakes her head, anger and panic rising in her.

"No, I saw her!" She said simply.

Becky shook her head.

"No, no, she wasn't breathing."

"She was crying!"

"No."

"Oh, God." She breathed, the memories swarming back to her. "Becky, it happened. I saw her, an-and he was there! He was there! He had her and-!"

"No," was all Becky could muster, sniffling.

Becky took a deep breath, still shaking her head, unable to meet her sister's eye right away.

"Terry, no, I'm sorry, I wish that were true-"

"It is! Becky, I'm telling you, I saw it! We have to get her! He took her!"

"Who was there, Terry?" Becky asked, trying to calm her through her own tears.

"He took her!" She said, growing more frantic.

"Terry-" Becky warned.

But Terry had already begun to sit up despite her sister's efforts to keep her in bed.

"No, no, no! Don't take it out! Terry!"

She had ripped the IV out of her arm, and seconds later a nurse came in, holding her down.

"No, no! I need to get her! Becky, I told you!"

"Terry!"

"-I told you this would happen! I need to get her!"

Terry was soon restrained, several members of the hospital staff were pinning her down and El watched as a syringe was plunged into her skin. The scene quickly changed, she could see several papers and file folders strewn all over the floor. She could hear her mother's voice nearby.

"Three to the right. Four to the left." She mumbled.

She sees the dial of the safe click to the zero, and her mother opens the safe. Inside, sitting atop several papers and envelopes is a gun. Shakily, her mother picks up the gun, she sighs as she stuffs several bullets inside.

Her mother is now in a car. She takes a deep breath, collecting herself before exiting the car, purse clutched tightly in her hand. She closes the car door and El sees her mother cross the parking lot to the familiar building she escaped from. Trailing behind a few similarly dressed women, she blends in effortlessly with them. That is until she stopped by a security guard.

"Ma'am, can I see your badge?"

Terry stops, taking a deep breath. She turns around, pulling the gun from her bag. She aims it at the man and anybody that tried to approach.

"Stay back. Stay back!"

She sees the guard reach for his gun and she panics, pulling the trigger. The last thing she sees is the guard falling back before everything goes black once more. She can hear alarms blaring, and Terry is now rushing down a hallway, several people in lab coats jumping aside. She hopes from door to door, peering inside and asking for her daughter.

"Jane? Jane?"

She looks over her shoulder and that's when she spots it. The rainbow room. A door across the hall with a small rainbow painted on the inside of the doorframe.

Eagerly, she opens the door. Inside, she finds two young girls playing, one of them she knows to be her daughter. She steps forward cautiously, but happily. Each of them give her an off look and she smiles, leaning down to her daughter.

"Jane... No!"

She is pulled away from Jane before she can grab her. She fights and kicks to the best of her ability but the men's' hold on her is too powerful. The girls watch curiously as she dragged away and Terry only fights harder.

"No! No! She's my child! No! She's my child!"

The sight of the tiny rainbow painted on the walls is the last thing in focus as she is dragged far away.

The next thing she sees comes in flashes. Hands struggling and hair whipping around as Terry struggles the grip of several bad men.

"No! No."

El watches helplessly as her mother is roughly pinned down again once more, several straps fighting around her form. As she struggles, her head falls to the side and there before her is Papa. Standing still, watching as she is restrained.

Her cries of protest are muffled when they place a rubber mouth guard between her teeth. A pair of gloved hands bring two metal rods to her forehead, Terry becomes increasingly frightened, like she can guess what comes next but El does not.

"Four fifty," Papa says.

One of the men nods, reaching over and setting the dial on a silver and black box. A low hum grows louder as he sets the dial, she can hear it in the rods and she knows what's coming. Terry's muffled screams cry out in protest, but it does not stop the man from flipping the switch. Her mother begins to convulse, her muscles go stiff and she writhes and shakes in pain. Her hands lose grip on the metal poles of handles at her side and she goes limp, tears in her eyes and she pants heavily.

Everything starts over in quick flashes as she stares at the ceiling. All of it, happing in short spurts.

"RUN!"

BANG.

"Oh, my God! Okay, breathe. They're on their way."

She's wheeled through the hallway.

"Stay with us, darling."

Jane crying.

Her eyes open and El can hear her mother's voice.

"Sunflower"

"He was there!"

Nurses retrain her.

"Three to the right. Four to the left."

She unlocks the safe and shoots the gun.

She sees the room.

"Sunflower."

The dial turns.

"Four fifty."

"RUN!" A gun goes off.

"Breathe." Jane cries.

Flowers at her bedside. "Sunflower."

Gunshot, she approaches the door. "Rainbow."

The dial turns. "Four fifty."

She convulses.

"RUN!"

"Breathe,"

"Three to the right. Four to the left."

"Breathe"

"Sunflower."

"Rainbow"

"Three to the right."

"Breathe."

"Four fifty."

"Breathe."

"Rainbow."

"Three to the right."

"Run!"

El rips the blindfold off her eyes in panic, her breathing heavy and uneven. As she is brought back to reality she looks up at her mother in her rocking chair. There are tears in her eyes and she is sadly uttering the same words.

"Run. Breathe. Sunflower. Rainbow. Three to the right. Four to the left."

El feels a pair of arms wrap gently around her and she can feel her own shaking, her shoulders rising and falling rapidly. She feels a hand grab hers and she knows it's Y/n. She squeezes her hand for comfort and Y/n gently runs her thumb over the back of her hand, showing her support.

No one says anything for a while, and apart from her mother's mumbling, she sits in silence embracing the support given to her as she tries to calm her racing heart.

×××

"There's nothing. There's nothing here." Mike says worriedly.

Mike, Will, Joyce, and Bob were all packed inside Joyce's Ford Pinto in search of where they believed Hopper's location to be.

Worriedly, Joyce spares a quick glance at Bob who holds the map in his lap.

"Are... Are we close?"

"We're in the vicinity," Bob replies.

"What's that mean, the vicinity?" She asked worriedly.

"It means we're close. I don't know. It's not precise." Bob sputters, feeling the guilt and pressure weighing on his chest.

"But we did all that work!" Joyce exclaims, exasperated.

"I told you, the scale ratio is not exactly one-to-one. We needed to take--"

"Turn right!" Will shouts suddenly.

Unbeknownst to the group, Will had closed his eyes. Taking Mike's advice to heart, he took advantage of the information, his now memories, stored in his brain. Quietly, he had sat, his eyes darting back and forth sporadically under his eyelids as he searched the tunnels in his mind.

"What?"

Everyone looked to Will, even Joyce, but she made sure to return her attention to the road.

"I saw him!" Will answered.

"Where?"

Joyce began looking around, squinting around the vicinity and Will feels the panic boiling I'm his chest. He leans forward urgently, his words turn to a quick panicked shout as he tries to convey his words without missing the turn.

"Not here. In my now-memories"

A knowing gasp falls over Mike and Joyce, while Bob whirls around to look at Will, flabbergasted.

"In your what?" Bob asks.

"Turn right!" Will yells again.

Everyone is thrown to the side of the car, Will bumping into Mike, and Bob nearly falling on Joyce as the car violently jerked to the side. A horrible screech filled everyone's ears as the tires flew across the pavement. Everything happened in a matter of seconds as the car took down a sign attached to the wooden fencing, as well as several clumps of hay that temporarily covered the windshield. Before they knew it, they were thrown forward when Joyce slammed on the breaks, stopping only inches away from the back of Hopper's car.

Joyce whirled around to look at Will, then Mike.

"Are you okay?"

Will nodded and she faced the front once more. Everyone was panting heavily still, collecting their breath.

"Superspy," Mike confirmed between breaths.

"What's Jim doing here?" Bob asked, recognizing the car in front of them. "Joyce?"

Ignoring his questions, Joyce returned her attention to the back seat and looked between Will and Mike.

"Boys, I need you to stay here."

Will shook his head frantically as she climbed out of the car.

"No. Mom, Mom, Mom, it's not safe." He called desperately, leaning over to look at her.

"That's why I need you to stay here! Stay here!" She ordered.

Slamming the car door, the boys sat in silence as they felt the car shake slightly. Bob and Joyce trudged across the field, careful not to step on the many rotten pumpkins.

"Hopper!" Joyce's worried and shrill cries echoed across the field and into the night.

Easily spotting the small crater in the dirt, Joyce descended the hole Hopper had dug and Bob followed cautiously. His arms were outstretched after Joyce who held her arms out for balance as her feet slipped across the unstable dirt.

"Hey, be careful." He shook his head, nervously spewing commentary in disbelief. "Just going down the hole."

At the bottom of the pit, a large circle roughly the size of her dining room table had caught her eye. Bridging the gaps over what normally would have been a hole in the ground, was what looked like several worms the size of large snakes. But they weren't, they were a dark purple-pink and they did twist and move, constantly interlacing themselves, seeing themselves together in a big lump, it soon became clear to Joyce what these were. Hopper's last few words to her echoed in her mind.

"Vines." She gasped.

Hesitant to break her gaze away for too long, she gestured to shovel that stood near Bob's feet.

"Give me that."

"The shovel?"

"Yes, give me the shovel!"

Compliantly, he handed the shovel to Joyce who eagerly grabbed it tight in her hands. With all the strength she could summon, she brought the metal spade down into the vines. They shrieked and hissed, and her contact had hurt several of them. Unfortunately, this came with a splash of dark smelly goo sprayed from the vines and painting Joyce and Bob's clothes.

Cringing, but quickly recovering, Joyce began to repeatedly stab the colony of vines. They hissed and squealed once more but they one by one they hastily recoiled back into the dirt. Deciding enough room had been made and enough vines were gone, she threw the shovel to the side and whirled around to face Bob, a determined look in her eye.

"I need you to help me get down there." She ordered.

Growing frantic and increasingly worried, Bob hunched over slightly and waved his arms.

"Joyce, what are you talking about?"  
"Bob! Now!" She roared, extending her arm.

Joyce gasped in horror when her feet hit the ground, her eyes had adjusted to the dark almost at once, and she was panting heavily at the sight around her. Not allowing herself any more time to waste, she stepped further into the tunnels.

"Hopper!" She called. "Hopper! Hopper!"

Frantically, she looked between the two directions the tunnel stretched in. She didn't know how much time she had, but she knew it wasn't much and she certainly couldn't risk checking each path. She heard a thud behind her, and she turned knowing Bob had descended. Sure enough, she wobbled slightly, catching his balance from the long drop and he collected himself.  
"Joyce, what is going on? Where are we?"  
Stammering, she reached out to Bob and looked him up and down, making sure he had safely made the drop.

"Bob, are you okay?"

Bob's attention was pulled to his surroundings once his eyes had adjusted.  
He looked around in amazement and shock.

"Tunnels. Is this Will's map?" He asked.

She had reached into his jacket pocket, knowing he always kept a small flashlight for emergencies.

"Hopper!" She called, scanning the tunnels for any sign of the chief.

"Are we in Will's map?" Bob asked once more.

Biting the bullet and picking a direction, she began navigating the tunnels, calling out for the missing man.

"Hopper! Hopper!"

"We're in Will's map," Bob mumbled excitedly, following Joyce close behind.

"Hopper!"

"We're actually inside Will's map!"

"Hopper!"

"How did he know all this?"

They both quieted when they reached a fork in the path. Glad Bob had kept his flashlight on him, and glad she had used it, she stepped forward when the light caught a broken cigarette on the ground in front of the left tunnel.

"Bob! Over here!"

She knelt down by the cigarette, she picked it up and showed it to her boyfriend.

"It's his! He's gotta be this way! Come on."  
Before he could respond, she took off down the left tunnel, mindful of her steps and the large ridges protruding from the ground. Giving one last uneasy look from where they came, trying his best to memorize the details of the path, he quickly fell back in line after Joyce.

Just outside above the entrance, Mike and Will had exited the car and slowly approached the edge of the crater.

"Do you see anything?" Mike asked. "I mean, in your now-memories?"

Will shook his head, watching the ground uneasily. The sound of several engines captured the boys' attention and they turned around to see several vehicles flood onto the field from where they had come. To his horror, Mike recognized the white vans labeled HAWKINS POWER AND LIGHTING as the very same ones that had chased him and his friends the previous year. It was a fleet from Hawkins Lab. He was suddenly grateful Y/n had left, wherever she was, she would be safe from them. At least, he hoped.

The tunnels below their feet were filled with the echoes of Joyce's cries for Hopper. The pair had reached a cavity in the tunnels, the walls had pooled out into wide space that Bob silently identified as the x from Will's map. Joyce was much too preoccupied with the task at hand, the beam of the flashlight scouring the ground and she felt her heart leap into her throat when she caught sight of a large arm poking out from underneath a pile of vines. The pile of vines, she realized, had almost completely covered the man.

"Oh! It's his arm!"

She scrambled forward, Bob close on her heels and they collapsed to the ground beside him. Handing the flashlight to Bob, she began clawing at the vines around him, several of them breaking and snapping. Bob pointed the flashlight to Hopper's neck, the man lay fighting consciousness and Bob began tugging with his free hand at the thick vine surrounding his neck.  
"It's choking him!"

Joyce redirected her efforts to the vine that struggled to tighten itself around Hopper's neck. Much to their surprise, Hopper spoke in a strained voice.  
"Knife!"

Joyce looked around desperately for the tool, but Bob was quick to answer. The beam fell across Hopper and next to Joyce.  
"It's over there!"

Sure enough, just inches away from Hopper's grasp, was the man's pocket knife.

Quickly, she got to work and it wasn't long until the vine around his neck snapped, Hopper gasped for air, and looked to his hands.

"Hands!"

Joyce cut his arms free next and he was able to fight back. He took the knife from Joyce's hands, cutting himself loose from the tendrils surrounding his chest while Bob and Joyce continued clawing at the remaining restraints. Finally, Hopper broke free with a maddened cry.  
"Bastard!"

He sat up, swiping the blade across the restraints on his ankles, once more the goo erupted from the screeching vines, by now he was covered in it but he didn't give two shits. Bob and Joyce helped the man to his feet and Joyce hurriedly checked him for injuries, and she took his face between her trembling hands.

"Oh, my God. Hopper, are you okay?" She panted.

"Joyce."

"Are you okay? Are you okay?"

Hopper nodded, patting her on the arms gently and she released him. He swung his arm behind him and patted the man beside him.

"Hey, Bob."

"Hey, Jim."

The trio huddled together, backing away from the advancing vines. Joyce turned and jumped in fear when she saw a figure next to Bob, dressed in a hazmat suit.

"Oh, my God!"

"Go! Go! Go! Clear the area!" The figure ordered.

The trio did not hesitate to evacuate the area, heading back through the tunnel each of them had ventured. When the three were out of range, the figure, who had been properly equipped, aimed his device and a violent spurt of fire erupted from the end. The vines writhed and shrieked violently as they shriveled up.

At that exact moment, Will - who had been waiting worriedly outside as the army of men surrounded and descended after his mother and Bob - collapsed to the ground. Mike dropped to the ground quickly after him, grasping his friend trying to get him to calm. But it was no use. Will was now lying on the grass, his entire body felt like it was on fire. His vision was as white as the white-hot searing pain running through his veins.

"Will, what's wrong?" Mike wailed, feeling helpless.

Will convulsed uncontrollably, his limbs on fire, spreading as rapidly as the flames in the hub below. As the vines screamed in agony, Will screamed too. He was now on his back, screaming violently into the night. Mike jumped back startled, watching helplessly in horror as his best friend writhed in the grass, his mouth wide open and his eyes rolled back into his head as shrieked in agony.


	22. The Spy - P1

||3rd Person POV||

"Get him out. Go! Go!"

"God! Hold on, sweetie!"

Will screams in anguish as he is being wheeled throughout the lab. He clutches his arm tightly, wishing he could tear the very skin off of his flesh, he feels as if he is being cooked from the inside out. Joyce stays close behind him, her tears clouding her vision, Bob and Mike right on her tail.

When she had left the tunnels, she was faced with the horrendous sight of her youngest writhing in the grass, near unconsciousness.

"I'm right here, honey. Just hold on." She cries, her hand outstretched for him.

They reach a room faster than she anticipates and she feels herself being ripped away from her baby when he is placed onto a bed. Bob is gently pulling her back, but to her, the distance is too great. She needs to be there, show him he's there. But for now, she's stuck, watching helplessly as her son is dying.

"Vitals?"

"Heart rate 220. Temperature's 106."

Several hands are prodding and poking, adjusting and readjusting but one nurse, in particular, leans forward. Her gloved hands gently grab the sides of his face so as to grab his attention - this whole while, his eyes have been closed as he screams.

"Will," she says urgently. "where does it hurt?"

His face is pale and his eyes sunken and dark, but he manages to open them for a brief moment to speak before falling into a fit of groans.

"All over."

"She says he feels like he's burning." Dr. Owen's interjects. "Check for burns."

Will's shirt is quickly cut open allowing them to work but there is no sign of burns to be found.

"I don't see anything!"

Once again, she grabs a gentle hold of Will leaning down to get his attention as the other nurses begin to apply wires.

"Where does it hurt the most, Will?"

"Everywhere!" He screams, launching his head up. "EVERYWHERE!"

His head is thrown back into the pillow in anguish, the doctors swarm his bedside doing all in their abilities. Joyce collapses in Bob's arms, her trembling hand over her mouth and Bob finds himself unable to bear the sight.

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

"Here we stand or here we fall  
History won't care at all"

The newly formed, unlikely duo of Dustin Henderson and Steve Harrington stew in thick silence, nothing but the lilting voice of Freddie Mercury's voice carrying through the car's otherwise silent atmosphere as Hammer To Fall plays from the radio. Night has fallen and the two ride in silence, the maroon BMW barreling down the streets of Hawkins, clouds of leaves in its path. Dustin had shared his previous encounters with his newest ally which has caused the aforementioned silence. Finally, Steve finds his voice.

"Wait a sec. How big?"

Dustin stretches out his forefinger from his thumb roughly an inch, indicating to Steve.

"First it was like that," he then stretches both hands out wider than his shoulders. "Now he's like this."

Steve rolls his eyes, returning them to the road as he scoffs.

"I swear to God, man, it's just some little lizard, okay?"

"It's not a lizard."

"How do you know?"

Dustin turned to Steve with an incredulous look, mocking his confidence and the two begin to speak over one another.

"How do I know if it's not?"

"How you know it's not just a lizard?" Steve said, his voice rising.

"Because his face opened up and he ate my cat." Dustin snapped.

Steve's eyes widened, though his face quickly contorts into an awkward expression. Willingly admitting defeat, he shrugged as he pulls into the Henderson driveway.

The two exit the car and meet at the trunk, as promised Steve opens his trunk to reveal the infamous spike bat from the previous year. Having ditched his toxic friends, Steve had come to the Byers's house to make peace with Jonathan after their fight. Only to find Nancy there with Jonathan as they set a trap for the Demogorgon the night of Eleven's disappearance. Consequently, Steve had been thrown into the chaos in their battle with the Upside Down where he upheld the infamous weapon. The less than pleasant memories came flooding back to him as he glanced down at the makeshift weapon, and he sighs.

Tossing his keys to Dustin, he grabs his bat, twirling it in his grasp and he can't help but notice the spark of adrenaline that comes with it. The feeling of the weapon in his hands, knowing he needs to be prepared at any moment. And he is.

Slamming the truck, Steve follows Dustin's lead into the backyard. He finds himself standing in front of a chained up cellar and Steve waits in hushed silence for any signs of movement. The flashlight beam dances across the steel as he waits, but the pair is only met with more silence.

"I don't hear shit."

"He's in there." Dustin shrugs.

Cautiously, Steve leans forward, his bat outstretched and he gently taps the wooden end of the bat against the steel. Again, no other sounds can be heard. Testing his luck, he steps forward again and whacks the doors with the bat creating a larger sound. Still no reply.

Steve turns hotly on his heel and shines the flashlight directly in Dustin's eyes with a less than impressed look on his face.

"All right, listen, kid. I swear, if this is some sort of Halloween prank, you're dead."

"It's not," Dustin argues, wincing from the harsh light.

"All right?" Steve pressed.

"It's not a prank." He urges. "Get it out of my face."

Steve reluctantly replies, and he gestures to the cellar.

"You got a key for this thing?"

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

The cellar doors are ripped open with an ear-splitting squeak and Steve peers deep into the darkness, his bat in hand. Dustin stands behind him, flashlight in his shaky hand and Steve gladly takes it. He shines it further into the cellar, the milky white beam reached the bottom of the steps and dances across the cold grey concrete.

"He must be farther down there," Dustin says.

"I'll stay up here in case he tries to escape," Dustin says uncertainly.

Steve looks up at the boy with a deadpanned expression before back into the dark abyss with a supposed cat-eating monster. He shakes his head, unable to believe the dramatic, unforeseen turn his day has taken.

He sighs once more, not bothering to hide his unease as he looks from the boy to cellar once more.

"You have a sister, don't you? Why isn't she helping out?"

Dustin shifts uneasily.

"Yeah, about that," Dustin says, causing Steve to sigh. "She's with Byers. Also, she has no idea I found Dart after we lost him at school, or that our cat's dead so I'd rather not lead with that..."

"Jesus, I- Whatever, let's just get this over with."

Both bated breath, Steve descends into the darkness, his bat gripped tightly in hand, flashlight in the other. His body is tense and he is ready for any sign of movement. He reaches the last step, and his flashlight quickly scans the area though it finds nothing but a metal chain hanging from the ceiling in the center of the room. Deeming it safe, his guard lowers ever so and he steps forward turning on the light, the chain dangles around his head and for one blissful moment, he finds nothing but a regular cellar.

That is until his eyes land on the peculiar sickly pale green shape on the floor before him. In the dark, his vision had mistaken it as an old plastic grocery bag but now with the light illuminating the surface, it had a bright pale sheen and he could see it certainly wasn't anything normal. Extending the ends of the bat, the nails hooked into the strange wet substance and held it up to examine it.

The beam of the flashlight shone through the substance. After moments of contemplation as he watches it drip with mucus-like slime and is met with a horrid stench, he realizes it had once been skin.

His gaze wandered to a spot on the wall just beyond where he had found the shredded skin and he looked on in shock, his stomach plummeted as if he had dropped ten stories.

From above the surface, Dustin waited less than patiently, growing nervous for the Harrington boy.

"Steve?" He called uneasily.

The cellar light had been turned on but no other sign of life had shown itself. Fear crept into Dustin's heart and his unease festered.

"Steve, what's going on down there?" He asked a little louder.

Dustin jumped back in surprise when an unexpected beam of light hit his face so suddenly. His heart leaped into his throat and he was thankful he hadn't screamed. Behind the beam of light was Steve, looking up at him worriedly.

"Get down here." He ordered.

His voice sounded shaky, a factor in Steve that did not comfort Dustin at this moment but reluctantly he obeyed. Dustin descended the cellar steps to find a familiar substance dangling from the spiked bat, and his stomach twisted into knots.

"Oh, shit."

Without a word, Steve pulled the bat away and shone the flashlight towards the far corner of the cellar revealing his second discovery. A large trail of slime was strewn across the concrete leading to the far left corner of the cellar. Dozens of discarded bricks, broken remnants of splintered broken wood sprinkled the area as well of mounds of dirt flowed in from the gaping hole in the wall where Dart had escaped.

"Holy, shit!"

The duo stepped forward, bending down to examine the tunnel. The small beam of light was redirected once more and the two gapped at their microscopic view of the infinite tunnel that wound its way throughout all of Hawkins.

The currently vacant Byers living room is bathed in the pale moonlight, the only evidence of life is Will's abandoned maps that travel through the house like veins. An abandoned glass of water on the kitchen counter vibrates in only the slightest as the growing rumble of engines surrounds the house. A fleet of men flood routinely from the identical swarm of HAWKINS WATER AND ELECTRIC vans and storm the Byers porch. Within moments, the house is flooded with agents, dozens of flashlight beams dance across the floors, walls, and ceilings as they dissolve across the perimeter.

Light switches, remotes, doorknobs - apart from the front door - go untouched avoiding any trace they were ever here, only doing that which was necessary with gloved hands. They were quick and thorough, and apart from the brief but blinding flashes of cameras documenting the maps and the fleet of flashlights, the house is illuminated only by the moons soft rays. A pair of hands confiscate the videotape from Halloween night, that had previously remained tucked into the player, while another takes several photos of Will's drawing of the shadow monster that sits in his room, undisturbed.

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

Will's small and weakened frame lays unconscious on the medical bed. The color in his cheeks that gave him his usual warm and pinkish hue withered and was almost nonexistent, his skin now paled a sickly white and covered in a sheen of sweat from the long night behind him. Bob and Mike sit at his side, their eyes trained on him for any signs of disturbance as his body shakily rises and falls in a feeble attempt at stabilizing. 

Meanwhile, Joyce sits at the head of the conference table among the lab's finest doctors and agents. She - much like Bob and Hopper - had traded their regular attire for scrubs during the night and she is in a heated discussion with Owens and his team.

"That thing, it..." she gestured over her shoulder. "It did something to him."

"Okay," Owens thoughtfully scratches his head, his mind scrambling to catch up and understand the situation. "And these now-memories, as you call them, how long has he been experiencing them?"

The impatience grew in Joyce at the repetitive question and fights a huff.

"I told you, since Thursday. Since I found him in the field."

"And why wasn't he brought in?" Asked an unnamed scientist to her right.

Her sharp and hostile gaze snaps to the man and she gives him a cynical glance, her palms hitting the surface of the wooden table.

"I have been bringing him in, and what have you done?" She spits coolly. "Nothing. Nothing!"

Owens nervously jumps in with an unintended stilted tone, his movements stiff, all in a pathetic and useless attempt to minimize her concerns.

"These are new symptoms, Joyce."

Joyce shook her head profusely, jabbing her finger in Owens's direction.

"No. No, he has been telling you over and over that something wrong, and you said it was all in his head."

Owens squirms uncomfortably in his seat, his composure cracking under Joyce's fire. His mouth opens and closes, though his voice fails him.

"You said, 'Be patient.' Those were your words."

As she leans back into her seat, shifting restlessly Owens finally finds his voice. Her adrenaline and unease find a small and temporary outlet as her fingers drum against the wooden conference table.

"I understand that you're upset, okay? I get it. And I would be, too, if I were in your shoes." Owens gestured around the room. "But we are all in the same boat here, and I just need you to try--"

"What? Stay calm? Trust you?" Joyce looks around the table in disgust before shaking her head. "No, I want him transferred to a real hospital."

Dr. Owens's eyes shift to the papers in his hands, and while his voice is firm his nervous actions give away his discomfort.

"Well, you know that's not possible."

Another doctor joins in much to Joyce's bewilderment and chagrin.

"He really will get the best treatment here, Mrs. Byers."

"He really will." Another interjected.

She looked between them, utterly baffled, unable to believe the blinding negligence in themselves. She merely scoffs.

"And what are you treating him for, exactly?" She shrugs exasperated when she is met with no response and she rises to her feet. "Can anyone tell me what's wrong with him? Can a single person in this room tell me what is wrong with my boy?"

No one spoke, and she was met once more with dozens of eyes that avoided her gaze. Several men squirming uncomfortably in their seats and it only fuels the flames in her chest and her voice rises with her anger.

"WHAT IS WRONG WITH MY BOY?"

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

"Oh, He-Man, thank you for saving my life. What strong muscles you have."

Erica smirks at the dolls in her hands as she is splayed out across her bed. In one hand, her favorite Barbie doll, Christie. In the other, Lucas's He-Man action figure she had lifted from his room. She brought the two together in an embrace, their plastic faces touching as she made exaggerated kissing noises. The door was thrown open by Lucas and she looks up at him distasteful. His eyes fall to the doll in his hands and he glares at her.

"I knew it!" He scoffs, stomping in and ripping He-Man from her hands.

"Hey! They're in love!"

Lucas turns in her doorway, rolling his eyes.

"No, actually they're not. They don't even exist on the same planet."

"Aren't you too old to be playing with toys?" She quips.

Words die on Lucas's tongue and another rough sigh escaped him. He shakes his head, ridding himself of the comment.

"That... That's not the point. The point is to stay out of my room." He fires back, marching off into the hallway.

Erica calls after him, unfazed.

"Then tell your little nerdy friend to shut his mouth."

Lucas backpedals and returns to her doorway, giving his sister a quizzical look.

"What are you talking about?"

Erica merely shakes her head slightly and exaggerates Dustin's previous cries.

'''Code red, Lucas. Code red. Code red.' Bunch of nerds."

She rolls her eyes, reaching back for a nearby stuff animal, missing the horrified look on Lucas's face. He runs quickly to the end of the hall, not caring if he crashes into his door. He grips the doorframe as he scans his room, a frightened mantra slipping from his lips.

"No, no, no, no, no, no."

Sure enough, on his bed is his walkie, completely shut off. He rushes to his bed, flipping the dials and extending the antenna as quickly as he can.

"Dustin!"

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

The steel buckets hit the concrete with a decisive smack, and a container of gasoline is placed next to them. Dustin and Steve unload the trunk of monster hunting supplies they had scraped together for their plan against Dart. They had procured buckets and buckets of raw meat from the butcher shop and managed to gather the other supplies from Steve's garage. Dustin's comms come to life and immediately he recognizes Lucas's voice.

"Well, well, well, look who it is." Dustin feigns a smirk, gloved hands on his hips as Steve continues to u load the trunk behind him.

"I'm sorry, man." Lucas sighed. "My stupid sister turned it off."

"Well, when you were having sister problems, Dart grew again, he escaped, and I'm pretty sure he's a baby Demogorgan."

All Lucas could do in that short moment was blink as he processed the truckload of information.

"Wait. What?"

"I'll explain later," Dustin answered. "Just meet me and Steve at the old Junkyard."

Another wave of shock hit Lucas abruptly.

"Steve?"

"And bring your binoculars and wrist rocket."

"Steve Harrington?"

Behind Dustin, Steve had finished packing his bag and he closed the trunk. His voice barely echoed through the mic and into Lucas's ears, but it was undeniably Steve's.

"All right, let's go."

Dustin grabs the remaining bucket - the other in Steve's hand - and quickly falls in line.

"Just be there, stat," Dustin ordered into his headset. "Over and out."

⊹⊹⊹

Thank you all for 24k!!! AHH!! So exciting and it makes my heart soar! I also wanted to let you guys know that now that these chapters are published, I will be posting the cast chapter of season three, which I've had ready since before it aired cause I'm impatient lol. 

Also, apologies if there are spelling mistakes, I am only human and editing can only catch so much. anywho, more than anything I wanted to thank you guys for being so patient, and we reached 24k!! AHHH THANK YOU MY LOVES!! 


	23. The Spy - P2

||3rd Person POV||

Dr. Owens peaks his head in the door uneasily, Hopper sits on the edge of the bench hunched over a bucket. He is still in the gown lab had provided, his new pair of scrubs still sat folded and untouched to his left on the bench. Another retch is torn from his strained throat as his insides empty into the bucket. Owens fights a grimace and clears his throat announcing his presence.

"All right, cowboy, good news." He steps inside, his assistant behind him. "We're giving you the green light. How're you feeling?"

Hopper, still shaky and weak from his night in the tunnels and the full hose down from the medical team, turns to give the doctor an exaggerated grin and speaks through gritted teeth.

"Never better."

"All right, well, we got a present for ya," Owens says, letting the sarcasm roll off his back.

The assistant steps forward, a folded hazmat suit in his hands. Hopper attempts no such efforts to hide his own grimace at the sight.

"The hell is that?"

"Uh, something you should see."

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

The heart monitor beats steadily as Will sleeps, color has begun to return to his cheeks but it is scarce. Mike is tucked under a blanket, fast asleep in the bedside chair while Joyce and Bob speak in hushed whispers in the corner. Joyce had, for the most part, filled in Bob on the events of the past year.

"They made me sign, like, a thousand. I mean... we all had to. We had to. I mean, I lost track at a certain point. They're gonna make you do the same. I'm sure."

Bob nods, his eyes returning to Joyce after lingering worriedly on Will.

"Yeah. Well, hey, whatever."

There's a brief pause as Joyce gauges his reaction suspiciously, surprised by his shockingly relaxed demeanor. Finally, Bob speaks.

"What kind of documents?"

"Uh, confidentiality, and there were these official forms saying, like, nothing ever happened, which is why..."

Bob steps towards Will's bed, clarity written on his face.

"Will got lost in the woods."

"Yeah."

Bob shakes his head, the wave of shock finally crashing over him in full.

"Man, I always thought stuff like this happened in movies and comic books. Certainly not in Hawkins," He returns to Joyce's side. "and certainly not to someone like you."

Joyce nudges Bob.

"Or you."

"Yeah," he chuckles, quirking a brow. "Bob Newby, superhero."

The pair share a smile, but it does not last long before it fizzles out in the unresolved tension in the air. Joyce notes the shivers shaking Bob's body and throws him a concerned glance.

"You cold?"

"Just a little jitters, I guess." He says, drawing the blanket around his shoulders closer. "Hey, don't you start worrying about me. Okay? I'm fine. I'm fine."

Joyce nods in understanding, though she can't quite seem to shake the worry.

"It's not like you didn't warn me. 'This is not a normal family.' Isn't that what you said?"

The ends of her lips curl into a weak smile, a deflated chuckle escaping her. Bob soon joins in, gesturing to Will.

"You weren't kidding."

There's another thick pause, and Bob takes a silent breath before returning to a familiar subject.

"It kinda makes my idea of moving to Maine sound a little less crazy, right?"

"Oh, it... it's not crazy at all."

A warm smile tugs at his lips and Joyce can feel the effects of his contagious charm, a smirk drawing her face as well. But the moment quickly slips away at the sound of a familiar voice stirring from the bed.

"Mom?"

The couple is quick to join his side, and Bob enters the hall in a beat calling for the doctor. Joyce reaches him in no time, her palm reaching out for her son and she stroke his cold cheek.

"Sweetie, how are you feeling? You okay?"

Bob steps back into the room, leaving the door ajar and Mike stirs awake at the small commotion.

"Okay, they're on their way," Bob says, joining Joyce's side, and gives Will a warm smile. "Hey."

Will frowns at his mother, gesturing to Bob.

"Who is that?"

Joyce chuckles nervously, and worry quickly settles into everyone's chest.

"What?" Joyce asks.

"It's me, big guy. It's Bob."

His palm extends to meet Will's, to give him a reassuring tap on the arm but Will pulls away reluctantly. There is suspicion and fear in his eyes as he inspects the man for what looks to.be the first time.

"Are you a... doctor?"

The tension in the air rises, but Bob tries to push through it. Joyce and Mike only watch the exchange with great worry.

"No. No, it's just me. Just... just Bob."

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

Lucas coasts down Old Cherry Road, his heart rate climbing steadily. As he approaches his ears perk up upon hearing muffled rock music blasting from inside one of the many houses. He knows this is the one he has been looking for when he recognizes the car Max had climbed into many times. And more importantly, the one that nearly ran him and his friends over.

Inside, Billy hardly fights the anger rising in his chest at the doorbell that keeps ringing. He continues his set, his fuse shortening when it goes unanswered. With an angered grunt, he drops the bar and grabs his cigarette from his lips.

"Max, are you getting that or what?" He roars.

An impressive huff escaped her, her eyes rolling to the back of her head briefly in disdain.

"Okay!" She snaps, chucking her half taped board on her mattress before standing.

The doorbell rings once more, and not a second later does Billy continue to berate her.

"I swear to God, Max!"

She stomps down the hall in a fury, making an effort to glare menacingly at her stepbrother in a last act of defiance. She moves swiftly around his equipment, hair flying behind her as her speed increases with every frantic ring of the doorbell. She rips the door open, expecting to deal with another noise complaint from Billy's music that would somehow get her in trouble, but what she finds is much worse.

Lucas stands on the porch to her horror and fear for the boy's safety, she knows if he is caught here, there was no telling what Billy would do to him. Her head whips around to the living room, grateful Billy has his back turned. Quickly, she steps outside closing the door behind her.

"What are you doing here?"

Her voice is urgent and hushed, and oh how she hates that Billy holds this power over her. The power to make her feel unsafe in her own home, the power to make her fear for other people's safety no matter where she is.

"I have proof," Lucas says.

"What?"

"Proof that what I told you was real. But we have to hurry."

"What kind of proof? Y/n, proof, or something I'm gonna regret seeing later, proof?"

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

With a half-hearted grunt, Billy places the weights back on the rack and sits up. He takes one long drag of his cigarette before exhaling, his attention returning to the front door. He realizes he hasn't heard any conversation and when he sees he is alone - no sign of the nuisance he called a step-sister, and a closed front door - he knows Max is up to no good. In his eyes, she isn't. He rises from the bench and stalks forward towards the door, taking a swig from his beer can and places it on the mantle just as the door swings open.

Max slips inside through the small gap she created in the doorway, quick to close the door the moment she was inside. As if on autopilot, she stomps through the living room - not very far - before she halts suddenly in her tracks. Billy is blocking off the entryway, his shoulders squared and a fixed glare on her. She jumps, not expecting his presence but she tries to hide it.

"Who the hell were you talking to?" He asks with venom.

Max collects herself, her eyes struggle not to dart around the room and he notes the uneasy twitch in her brow line.

"Mormons."

A sick smile tugs at his lips, a smirk made of a mix of disgust and triumph. He can almost laugh at her pathetic lie. Almost.

"Mormons?"

She nods, a rising sense of confidence in her tone that makes it harder for him to confront her.

"Talkative ones."

With that, she slips past him and makes a swift exit to her room. He stares after her, the gears turning in his head but he can't quite pin anything on her yet, much to his chagrin. He heads for the door, ripping it open as she did moments ago and steps onto the empty porch. His eyes scan the street but he sees no sign of anyone, just an empty lawn and others like them up and down the road. His jaw clenches, his anger flickering inside him more but he shoves it away for now, and heads back inside.

Meanwhile, Max reaches her room, closing her door behind her and making her way to her window and slides it open. Just as she had instructed, Lucas awaits outside her window, his movements urgent as he beckons her down.

"Come on, hop on!"

Max quickly climbs through the window, her feet planting on the small landing just below and jumps onto the grass. She quickly takes a seat behind Lucas, grabbing his shoulders she leans around him to speak.

"This better be good, stalker."

In a matter of moments, the pair is off. Silently, they slip around the back of the house and disappear down the road.

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

The yellow beam of light shifts from eye to eye and Will does his best to ignore the flash of negatives his brain sees. He is surrounded by somewhat familiar faces. He does not understand the fuss being made, his mother and friend he recognizes but now there was a strange man in scrubs that stayed behind. Bob. He wasn't sure why he was being treated like this.

"Do you know your name?" The doctor asks.

"Will."

"Your full name?" He asks, tucking the flashlight into his breast pocket.

"William Byers." He says simply.

"Do you know... Do you know who I am?"

Will thinks for a moment, the question obvious and unnecessary.

"A doctor."

Will tries to ignore the fact that he is surrounded by a medical team that watches him studiously. He does all he can to focus his attention on the doctor before him, and answer his questions but he can't help but start to doubt his own sanity. Or at least the sanity of everyone around him. Was he supposed to have known everyone circling him now?

"Have we met before?" The doctor asks.

Will's brow fell into a crease, he shakes his head simply.

"I don't remember."

"Hmm."

Elsewhere, a large team of staff assigned to the Byers case watches the feed with intrigue. The live footage from Byers' room is displayed on one of many monitors and they watch, paying close attention to the quizzical and unexpected turn the boy has taken.

"You don't remember me?" They hear Owens ask.

They see the boy shake his head, and Owens nods.

"Okay," he extends an arm and points in 's direction. "How about, uh... How about this guy here?"

Mike shifts uneasily, his heart pounding against his chest as his best friend slowly turns to look at him. Nervously, he retracts one hand from his pocket and waves weakly before returning to the comfort of the is pocket. His fingers fumble anxiously with the loose thread from the shoddy stitching. Will does not answer immediately, his eyes are darker and his gaze is distant and detached.

"That's okay, take your time," Owens assures.

The look in his eyes bothers Mike, and the longer Will neglects to speak the longer eternity seems to stretch on. Never, not even once has Mike seen this look on Will. He is not himself, and he fears the worst. The ghost of their conversation at the Byers house being shoved to the back of his mind as it creeps up. He isn't frowning, like Will usually does when he is stumped. His brow isn't furrowed, and there is no sign that he is frustrated by his stump. He just stares. All emotions devoid from his features and he is much too calm. Finally, he speaks.

"That's my friend." He says slowly. "Mike."

Mike doesn't fight the breath of relief, but he can't help but think that their troubles were far from over. The next person to speak, the tallest man in the room who joined them not long ago and had stuck by his mother's side. He smiles weakly, but he can tell that for the man it is genuine.

"What about me, kid? You remember me?"

His attention slowly shifts to the tall man, and he searches his brain, what's left of the foggy memories that have only grown clouded and dark in the past few hours. But he sees nothing, nothing about this tall bearded man and he shakes his head. He recognizes the look of disappointment and worry, but he quickly tries to bury it.

"They tell me you helped save me last night. You remember that?"

Will shakes his head once more. His attention is once again shifted to the doctor at his bedside.

"Do you remember anything about last night? About what happened?"

Will feels a twinge of anger, and the ghost of the pain from the previous night ignites his memory.

"I remember they hurt me."

《•••》

Will collapsed to the ground in agony. Mike dropped to the ground quickly after him, grasping his friend trying to get him to calm. But it was no use. Will was now lying on the grass, his entire body felt like it was on fire. His vision was as white as the white-hot searing pain running through his veins.

《•••》

Joyce winces at the memory, her stomach turning and her palm reaches to her face, her fingers massaging her temples. She feels Bob's hand reach her backband pat her soothingly in an attempt to calm her.

"You mean the doctors?" Owens asks.

His eyes still dark and blank, his composure flat and calculated he skates his head.

"No. The soldiers."

《•••》

The figure, who had been properly equipped, aimed his device and a violent spurt of fire erupted from the end. The vines writhed and shrieked violently as they shriveled up.

《•••》

"The soldiers hurt you?"

Will blinks slowly, the first he has in a while and his voice grows hoarse and angered. He is angered and betrayed, the darkness clouding his usual hazel green eyes and now they seem almost black. His tone only sends spikes of fear into the hearts of those who are closest to Will. And it only reminds Mike of the previous day, when he had forced Y/n away.

When he spoke, Mike felt a familiar chill run down his spine. And only now does he recognize the tone in Will's voice. How it held no emotion and he seemed distant. And cold.

Not himself.

Mike felt as if he was reliving that moment over, but the only difference was the person who hurt him. Or something inside him.

"They shouldn't have done that."

His pale face slowly slips into a scowl, a threatening glance and his voice grew more venomous.

"It upset him."

Mike could feel the blood pounding in his ears, and on instinct he finds himself looking to Mrs. Byers, but all she can focus on is her son, or what looked like her son. What used to be. Mike had to shake the dark thoughts from his mind, but he couldn't help but blame himself. He had already slipped into this state before, why hadn't he done more? Talked to Mrs. Byers? Tell him how he changed so briefly but drastically right before his eyes? At least he managed to break free from it last time. But now, now things were different.

All he can manage to do for now is watch as Owens takes a photograph from a file folder that sits on the bed, he hands it to Will who takes it.

"You say, "Upset him." Is that him?"

Will's darkened eyes trail up from the picture and meet the man's eyes. He merely nods, and even though no words are spoken aloud, the room is hit with another dreadful chill. Owens takes the photograph back and sets it on the folder as he looks around the room.

"Okay, I want to try something." He instructs. "It's gonna seem a little odd at first, but I think it's really gonna help us understand what's going on."

He gently places a hand on Will's shoulder, sending a reassuring look to the boy as best as he could manage.

Will's eyes flicker to the hand on his shoulder, he tries to ignore the small but uncomfortable body heat from his palm and he tries to stifle the anger. It reminds him of her and what she did, how she hurt him. He pushes the memory aside and looks to the man, nodding.

"Okay."

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

The steel cart jostles as it crosses the bumpy threshold of the room, a glass case with no lid sits on top. Inside, a loose tentacle collected form the tunnels. Hopper quickly recognized the thing, and he felt his insides twist in knots, alarms going off in his head. He had only just been shown the lab's secret, he couldn't say he was surprised but Owen's and his team had just taken them underground. Where they had their very own, private access to the tunnels he had previously been trapped in.

He had been assured they were monitoring it, but it all felt like a load of crap to him. He shifts on his feet as he watches it all unfold.

"Now, Will," Owen's begins. "I want you to Bust let us know if you feel anything. Okay?"

He nods once more, and Owens gives the assistant the all-clear. The blowtorch in his hands flick on, a steady hiss emanates from the strong flame and the man slowly lowers it inside the case. Will stares wide-eyed as the blue flame is lowered, his breathing hitches and speeds up. Short and ragged, and his face has already begun to pale.

The creature begins to hiss, it's dark violet, and the slimy body begins to write against the steel. It shrinks back, clearly in pain. The others watch, their attention breaking from Will to the heart monitor he is hooked up to. Beeping increases and his heartbeat picks up.

"Do you feel anything?"

Will's breath hitches, his face twitching in pain. He begins to stammer as he fidgets.

"Little sting."

"It stings. Where?"

The flame lowers further and Will shift on the mattress, his left hand suddenly clutching his heart. His face contorts in pain, and his cold demeanor has begun to melt into pain.

"My chest." He whimpers.

"Okay, son." He mumbles, patting his arm but he makes no effort to stop.

Joyce reaches out and places a gentle hand on his leg from the end of the bed and begins to mumble encouraging thoughts and showing her concern and support. After a determined and swift nod from the man, the assistant nods and lowers the flame. Everything immediately intensifies, the heart monitor beeps faster, the creature squeals turn to shrieks and Will begins to write clutching desperately at his chest.

"How about now?" He asks urgently.

Will begins to choke on air, he is desperately trying to speak through the pain but he can barely manage the words.

"It... It burns."

Dr. Owens only grows more intense, he leans forward I'm the slightest as his bushy brows furrow. The flame lowers further and it nearly touches the creature, it cries in agony and so does Will.

"Ah! It burns!"

"Where?"

Another screech and Will gasps for breath, he chokes on his words but he manages a scream that tears through his scalding chest.

"Everywhere!"

The flames lick at its slimy, moist and sizzling skin and it ignites a deafening, agonizing scream from Will. Joyce's face hardens and she begins to shout.

"That's enough. That's enough!"

Will's cries climb higher and louder and within moments it's just as he was when they brought him in. The assistant does nothing and the flame continues to burn the flesh of the creature and Will shifts feverishly on the bed, his head rolling back as he shrieks at the sky. His agonizing cries pierce her ears and stab at her heart. She continues to stop their efforts but her voice is drowned out in Will's screams and even then they ignore her. Hopper jumps in, separating Will from Owens and throws his arms out and he roars at them viciously.

"Stop! You heard her! That's enough!"

The flame retracts and the man shrinks back as the creature does. Patches of its skin are burned away, showing pinkish and inflamed skin, and Will gasps for breath. Hopper stands over the boy protectively and himself and Joyce sends deathly stares to every staff member.

"That's it! We're done!" Hopper barks.

The rooms falls silent and every staff member squirms uncomfortably. Joyce sets aside her fury and redirects her attention to her boy. Soothingly, she pats his leg - the only place she can reach from the end of the bed - and whispers encouraging words.

"Sweetie... Sweetie. It's okay."

Will visibly relaxes, his breathing is still harsh and spotty. He pants heavily, and the heart monitor gradually slows. The creature's wails die down to a ragged hiss and everyone looks around the room.

Owens ushers Joyce and Hopper outside to the hall where they now speak in hushed whispers.

"Our best guess right now is it's some kind of virus which is causing this neurological disorder." The man explains. "Now, when... when a typical virus attaches itself to the host..."

《•••》

\- DEC. 1983 -

Will grips the bathroom sink, his knuckles turning white as he feels a gag shake his body. He lurches forward over the sink as nauseous shakes his body. He can feel movement traveling up his throat, and something tells him it's not vomit. A disgusting salty taste travels across his tongue and he watches in horror and disgust as a thick slug-like creature hits the bottom of the sink with a shuddering 'plop'.

Will manages to keep his coughs stifled, hopefully his mother and brother do not hear him from the dining room table. His stomach plummets, not only in disgust that this thing was living inside him but also fear. It slithers towards the drain, leaving a trail of paled green slime in its tracks.

《•••》

"...it duplicates, right? It spreads, essentially hijacking the host."

Joyce winces at the man's words, and once more do her fingers reach her temples and rub fixed circles as he continues.

"A virus is alive. It has an intelligence."

《•••》

Will was panting heavily, but he slowly turned around coming face to face with the monster. It towered over the school, looking directly at Will.

《•••》

"That's not... That's not unusual." Owens pauses with a frown, gesturing down the hall. "What is so unusual here, this virus... the infected hosts seem to be communicating."

《•••》

The figure, who had been properly equipped, aimed his device and a violent spurt of fire erupted from the end. The vines writhed and shrieked violently as they shriveled up.

At that exact moment, Will - who had been waiting worriedly outside as the army of men surrounded and descended after his mother and Bob - collapsed to the ground.

•••

Will convulsed uncontrollably, his limbs on fire, spreading as rapidly as the flames in the hub below. As the vines screamed in agony, Will screamed too. He was now on his back, screaming violently into the night. Mike jumped back startled, watching helplessly in horror as his best friend writhed in the grass, his mouth wide open and his eyes rolled back into his head as he shrieked in agony.

《•••》

"It has some sort of hive intelligence, and it's connecting all the hosts."

《•••》

The monster bellowed, and one large tentacle began twirling down onto the ground, the size of a small tornado. The swirling gust of black fog engulfed Will.

•••

Dart looked up from his meal and faced a horrified Dustin, his long slimy tail flicking back and forth. He roared, causing his head to open up, hundreds of bloodied teeth showing as any other Demogorgon would.

•••

The flame lowers further and it nearly touches the creature, it cries in agony and so does Will.

《•••》

"The good news is a virus can be cured. We... We're gonna continue to run tests. We're gonna see what we find."

Joyce shakes her head in disbelief and fights back her tears as she speaks.

"What happens when he can't remember anything? W-When there's nothing else there?" She steps forward towards the man, who once again grows uneasy. "What happens when my boy is gone?"

The man stands dumbfounded and without an answer. Joyce brings a trembling hand to her quivering lip, choking back sobs at the horrendous thought. She feels helpless like there's nothing she can do. And she loathes it.


	24. The Spy - P3

||3rd Person POV||

The cubes of meat hit the wooden boards with a wet slap. Traveling along the abandoned tracks is Dustin and Steve, each carrying a bucket of butchered meat. Their bait.

"All right, so let me get this straight," Steve sighs, looking at the boy just paces ahead of him. "You kept something you knew was probably dangerous in order to impress a girl who... who you just met?"

Dustin rolls his eyes, sighing irritably as he throws more bait on the track.

"All right, that's grossly oversimplifying things."

Steve shakes his head.

"I mean, why would a girl like some nasty slug anyway?"

"An interdimensional slug?" Dustin smirks. "Because it's awesome."

Steve picked up his pace, making his way to Dustin's side.

"Well, even if she thought it was cool, which she didn't, I... I just..." he shrugs, his lips forming a tight-lipped smile. "I don't know. I just feel like you're trying way too hard."

"Well, not everyone can have your perfect hair, alright?"

"It's not about the hair, man," Steve says, shrugging once more as he lazily kicks a stray pinecone from his path. "The key to girls is just... just acting like you don't care."

Dustin looks at him curiously, not expecting the insight.

"Even if you do?"

Steve nods. "Yeah, exactly m. If drives them nuts."

"Then what?"

"You just wait until, uh..." he pauses to throw another chuckle of bait behind him. "until you feel it."

"Feel what?"

"It's like before it's gonna storm, you know? You can't see it, but you can feel it, like this, uh... electricity, you know?"

A spark of recognition flickers across Dustin's face, and he nods eagerly.

"Oh, like the electromagnetic field when the clouds in the atmosphere--"

Steve shakes his head, an unimpressed look on his face. He head flicks to the side, sweeping away a stray lock of hair tickling his forehead.

"No, no, no, no, no. Like a... Like a sexual electricity."

A look of surprise crosses Dustin's face.

"Oh,"

The longer the day stretched on, the more Steve is bewildered at the ever-changing events he could never have foreseen. Nevertheless, he gestures to Dustin as he continues.

"You feel that and then you make your move."

There is a brief pause before Dustin asks simply.

"So that's when you kiss her?"

Steve's eyes widen, and he can't decide whether he should roll his eyes or laugh.

"No, whoa, whoa. Slow down, Romeo."

"Sorry." He mumbles.

"Sure, okay, some girls, yeah, they want you to he aggressive. You know, strong, hot and heavy, like a..." He shrugs once more, looking back at the boy who had begun to lag shyly behind. "I don't know, like a lion."

Dustin hums thoughtfully, his gloved hand reaching inside the white steel bucket as he listens.

"But others, you gotta be slow, you gotta be stealthy, like a..."

His mind travels back in time for the briefest of moments, his heartwarming at the memory of sneaking innocent moments with Nancy Wheeler. He finds himself smiling.

"Like a ninja."

"What type is Nancy?"

And just like that, his smile falters.

"Nancy's different. She's different than the other girls."

"Yeah, she seems pretty special, I guess."

"Yeah. Yeah, she is."

"But this girl's special, too, you know. It's just, like, something about her."

"Woah, woah, woah. Hey, hey, hey" Steve says, stopping them in their tracks and he turns to face Dustin.

"What?"

Steve studies the boy's body language, eyeing him suspiciously.

"You're not falling in love with this girl, are you?"

It is clear to Steve that Dustin has grown shocked and slightly uncomfortable.

"Uh, no. No."

His suspicious stare lingers, but he continues them down the tracks.

"Okay, good. Don't."

"I won't."

His attention returns to the tracks and laying the bait but his thoughts continue to spill from his lips.

"She's only going to break your heart, and you're way too young for that shit."

A thick silence settles between the duo once more, a common theme so far. His thoughts now louder than ever, amplified in the silent autumn air and Steve feels his pity for the boy growing. The kid's got heart, he can tell, and despite his better judgment, he feels a soft spot growing for him.

"Fabergé."

It's Dustin's turn to give a quizzical look, his brow quickly quirks.

"What?"

Steve gestures to his full head of hair, failing to meet Dustin's eye.

"It's Faberegé Organics. Use the shampoo and conditioner, and when your hair's damp... It's not wet, okay? When's its damp..."

"-Damp."

"You do four puffs of the Farrah Fawcett spray."

Steve doesn't have to see the look on Dustin's face to know the kid is grinning madly. He can hear the smirk in his voice, Dustin is clearly holding back a snicker and already Steve is beginning to regret his decision.

"Farrah Fawcett spray?"

"Yeah, Farrah Fawcet." Steve halts once more, making sure he towers over the boy as he jabs a finger in his face. "You tell anyone I just told you that and your ass is grass. You're dead, Henderson. Do you understand?"

Dustin nods, suppressing his smile as he avoids Steve's gaze.

"Yup."

A new silence blankets the air, with it a new sense of commonality, and understanding. It's comfortable. Another smirk tugs at Dustin's lips as they continue their journey, laying slabs of meat.

"Farrah Fawcett, really?"

Steve shrugs.

"I mean, she's hot."

The tension melts away in the wake of their forming bonds of friendship, they share a smile and an occasional nod. They are each surprised by the unexpected comfort each other's company brought. Unbeknownst to the pair, the farther they ventured, the closer they got to the decaying tunnels beneath their feet. And to their right, a bright yellow flag planted in the dirt, a marking made earlier by Hopper and his team that signaled rotting earth and decay.

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

Hopper's fingers release the button as he lets out a defeated sigh. He sits in his truck, radio in hand and he has sent their secret code to El, letting her know it was him. But his shoulders sag, he knows what he has to say needs to be spoken aloud, no translated. Guilt has been a heavyweight on his shoulders since their fight, his inability to mend their mistakes and all the things left unsaid. His time in the tunnels crosses his mind, and how fearful he was when he believed he wouldn't make it.

Not by death, so much. Of course, it was frightening, but what really bothered him - scared him - is what would happen to her if he never saw her again. Not only the way they had left things but what would become of her? How would she stay safe and who could truly know how to take care of her, nurture her. The last thing he wanted was to leave her on her own, and he certainly didn't want to risk going inside and dealing with the problem at hand, without talking to her.

Or least letting her know he was sorry.

So here he sat, his body hunched forward as he lay against the wheel, the radio grasped tightly in his hand. His voice shakey and his heartbreaking. He took a deep breath, and let the words spill out.

"Hey, it's, uh... It's me. I know that I've been gone too long, and uh... It's-- I just, I want you to know that it's not about you and it's not about our fight. Okay?"

His garbled voice rings out in the empty cabin, no one around to hear him but the several boxes are strewn around the room.

"Something came up, and I will... I will explain it all when I see you. I just... I just want you to know that I'm not mad."

His grip on the radio and his own hand grows tighter, he clutches it tightly like a lifeline. He can no longer fight the tears that threaten to spill, and his eyes go red and puffy.

"I'm just sorry. About everything."

The hot tears sting his eyes, he has to stop to collect himself as best he can but it is almost no use at all. His heart lurches, but for the first time in a long time, it is alive. He wishes with all his might that he can be there with her, comfort her. But he knows he can't. He continues to battle the enormous lump in his throat but it is winning.

"I don't want you to get hurt at all. And I don't want to lose you."

He chokes on his tears, but he feels the soft rumble deep within his chest where a weak chuckle forms. He sniffles and speaks once more into the machine.

"Just make sure you heat up some real food. Not just Eggos. And I want you to eat all the peas, even if they're mushy and gross. And..."

He sighs, knowing more than anything he intends to and will keep his next promise. He would move mountains to keep it, and has every intention of showing her, and himself, that he will be there for her.

"I will be home soon."

The monitor clicks off, and the car and the empty cabin go silent.

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

"This is him last week."

The photo on the projector slides into place and shifts into focus. A map of Will's brain, for the most part normal, but sprinkled across the grayscale map is several flurries of activity. Patches of red.

"And there are the hippocampal abnormalities we had discussed. Nothing out of line with what we've seen from others suffering from post-traumatic. But..."

The medical team is gathered in one of several conference rooms as one member of the staff tasked to the Byers case reviews with the team, including Dr. Sam Owens. The man sighs in worry, his elbow is propped up on the wooden conference table and he massages his temples worriedly as the slide changes. It's another map of Will's brain, but there is an extra flurry of activity that frightens them all.

"this is Will from last night. And as you can see, there are now abnormalities I'm the limbic and paralimbic areas. And this..."

The man grows increasingly unsettled, and with great reluctance he advances the slide. Aside from a few select spots on the brain, the picture is enveloped in red. The Brian is drowning in the virus and there is more red than black.

"is from an hour ago."

Not a soul in room remains still, every lab coat shuffles uncomfortably. And suddenly the papers in their hands have become overwhelming captivating. Attempting to hide his own discomfort, Owens turns to his team and gestures around the table.

"I don't hear any suggestions."

A colleague of his looks up from his papers, though his fingers still nervously fiddle with the edges of the files.

"We have bigger problems than the boy."

"Do we?" The man snaps.

"We can't keep delaying the burn." Another adds.

Agitated, Owens leans forward, his palm smacking the table.

"You're talking about putting... putting a Band-Aid on this." He stutters.

The first man speaks up.

"Right now, a Band-Aid is the best option."

"It's our only option."

Owens looks around the room aghast at his colleagues. They merely stared back, silently taking a stance.

"And if it kills the boy?" Owens spits.

"Then quite frankly, Sam, it kills him."

Owens stills in anger and disgust and jabs a finger in the man's direction.

"Say that to me again." He threatens.

The doctor that stands by the projector reluctantly speaks up.

"The rate this is spreading, he'll be lost by the end of the day. What we do or don't do won't change the outcome."

"We have to start the burn." The other states.

Owens takes one last look at his team, his eyes hold nothing but disgust. Huffing, he grabs his things from the table and jumps to his feet and storms for the door.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm going to think." He spits.

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

"What the hell is taking so long?" Joyce sighs.

She and Bob sit side by side to the right of Will's bedside. Her leg bounces up and down at an almost unnatural rate and she nervously wrings her hands.

"Hey," Bob assures. "doctors take forever, always. Just try and relax. Just be patient."

He reaches forward, briefly rubbing her knee in an attempt to soothe her nerves however he can. Taking his words to heart, Joyce takes a lingering breath and she tries to calm the storm of nerves in her stomach. But with every passing second, her nerves return. With every beep of the monitor is a harsh reminder than another second has passed.

Finally, she sighs as she shrugs the blanket off her shoulders.

"You know, I just..."

She slips through the door and marches to the end of the hall. The two guards stationed in from of the closed double doors tense as she approaches with no intention of stopping.

"Let me through. Let me through!" She orders, struggling against their arms.

"You know we can't do that."

"I need to talk to--"

"He'll be with you shortly."

"You said that an hour ago!"

Bob soon joins her side and attempts to calm her, and across the hall staring through the door is Will. He lays perfectly still on the bed, and the heart monitor starts to race beside him. With every beep of the monitor, his vision fluctuates. He is seeing but not with his own eyes, he is a passenger in his own body and yet all he can focus on is the gun holstered in the guard's belt.

《•••》

The figure, who had been properly equipped, aimed his device and a violent spurt of fire erupted from the end.

《•••》

Anger. That's all he can feel.

《•••》

The vines writhed and shrieked violently as they shriveled up.

《•••》

Will.

《•••》

Will convulsed uncontrollably, his limbs on fire, spreading as rapidly as the flames in the hub below.

《•••》

Will.

《•••》

He saw the visions. Like he was navigating the dark and cold tunnels, they never stopped moving and he knew they were out to kill.

•••

Will was panting heavily, but he slowly turned around coming face to face with the monster. It towered over the school, looking directly at Will.

《•••》

"Will?"

A warm hand touches his arm and he falls back to earth. The spike in his heart echoes in the room with the speedy beeps of the heart monitor. He hadn't registered that Mike had been speaking to him, trying to reach him. He looks to the boy who is watching him concerned.

"What's wrong? Are you hurting again?" Mike asks.

"Uh..."

Will tries desperately to speak but the things he wants to say don't come. Instead, he feels the undeniable urge to sit up. He does so, and more words come to his brain but they are not what he truly wants to say. There is a wild, demanding itch in his brain that he must extinguish.

"I saw something."

The itch subsides.

Unsuspecting, Mike listens intently with worry.

"In your now-memories?"

Against his better judgment - the small, dying voice in the corner of his brain that grows small and smaller yet - he continues to scratch the itch and he nods and leans closer.

"The shadow monster." He whispers. "I think I know how to stop him.

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

The sun has reached it's highest point when Dustin arrives at the familiar landscape of the old scrapyard, Steve by his side. He wears a proud grin as Steve gazes across the yard, nodding in agreement.

"Oh yeah. Yeah, this will do." Steve begins his descend down the small hill, shedding his sunglasses. "This will do just fine. Good call, dude."

His grin widens significantly, his chest welling in pride before he falls ik line with Steve. The two continue to sprinkle their bate trail behind them to the center of the yard. They dump the remanents of meat in a pile when they hear an approaching voice call out to them from the hill.

"I said medium-well!"

Dustin is relieved to see Lucas, he is beaming down at them as he sends them a wave. But his stomach plummets when he sees Max standing at his side. The two begin their descent down the hill and Steve wonders aloud.

"Who's that?"

He looks to Dustin when he doesn't answer, he sees the concerned and disbelieving glance he wears at the redhead. Suddenly, his mind clicks.

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

"You told her?" Dustin hisses.

Lucas and Dustin are huddled behind one of several abandoned vehicles exchanging hushed words. After proper introductions, Max and Steve have set to work and begun to build their base.

"So what?" Lucas says.

"'So what?'" Dustin laughs dryly.

"You wanted to tell her, too."

"But I didn't, all right? You know why?"

"You're chicken?" Lucas retorts.

Dustin rolls his eyes at Lucas's weak jab, and his anger only grows.

"Because not only does that put us, and Max for that matter, in danger, but Y/n especially! You know, my sister, the escaped experiment that the government lab could snatch up on any old whim? That sister?"

"They agreed to leave her alone, remember?"

"Like their word means shit! They faked Will's death to cover their own asses for fuck's sake. They don't exactly strike me as the caring, honorable type. Who's to say they won't ever change their minds and decide they want her back!"

Lucas shrinks back, regret flashes across his face as he takes in his words. He sighs.

"Look, I'm sorry about that, alright? I didn't think about it like that, but it's already done. And for what it's worth, I don't think she's gonna tell anyone."

"You don't know she won't tell, we just met her! What if she slips up? What if she's cornered and the information is forced out of her?"

It's Lucas's turn to roll his eyes, and he scoffs.

"Dude, you're spiraling. None of that's gonna happen."

Dustin sighs and shrugs his shoulders apathetically.

"Maybe I am and maybe it won't. The point is, we all agreed not to tell her and to look for Dart."

"Who you conveniently found."

"Are you suggesting that I'm lying?"

"I'm saying you have a creepy little bond with him."

"Yeah, that was before he turned into a Demogorgan."

"And you haven't heard from Y/n?"

Dustin's face scrunches up in anger at Lucas's mention of his sister.

"No."

"Or Mike?"

"No."

"Will?"

"No."

"Hopper?"

"No! No one is around. Why do you think I'm with Steve Harrington? Something's-"

"Wrong." Lucas finishes, sighing. "I agree. Which is why need as much help as we can get."

They both hear a soft grunt from across the yard and they rise to their feet and peek through the vacant window of the car. Max is piling several sheets of metal against the bus closing off weak spots underneath.

"She didn't believe me, anyway." Lucas says.

A small smirk forms on Dustin's face.

"You probably didn't tell it right."

They share a weak laugh and rise to face each other and Lucas extends his hand.

"So, we good?"

Dustin's eyes fall to his friend's hand and he smiles weakly.

"Hey!" A loud crash behind Dustin startles them and they turn to find Steve glaring at them."Dickheads! How come the only one helping me out is this random girl? We lose light in fourth minutes. Let's go."

They only stare at him as he retreats to the bus, reluctantly following. Steve gestures for them to move, his voice increasingly rising in anger.

"Let's go, I said!"

They pick up speed and each grumble a response.

"Alright, asshole!" Dustin snaps with a whine. "God!"

"Okay! Stupid."


	25. The Spy - P4 - FINAL

||3rd Person POV||

Will stares ahead at the map of pictures sprawled across the table before him. Per his instruction, the medical team had gathered and allowed his mother, Bob, Mike and more importantly, himself to see their record of the maps he had created. The other doctor stands with the others impatiently, finally, he breaks the silence.

"Sam, this is ludicrous."

Dr. Owens is quick to silence him.

"Just give him a moment, okay?"

"We don't have time--"

"Hey, jackass," Hopper calls, cutting the man off. "why don't you do us all a favor and shut up, okay?"

Will rises from his seat, and Owens begins to herd the doctors away, making room for him to circle the table. His eyes studiously scan the paper trails, and it brings him to the end of the conference table. With a steady hand, he points to the pooled photographs that form the hub.

"That's it."

Owens steps forward, leaning down ever slightly and speaks gently.

"That's what? What- What's there, Will?"

A frown flickers across his face.

"I don't know." He mumbles. "I just know he doesn't want me to see there. I think it's important."

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

Under Owens's word, a team of the lab's soldiers and scientists gear up for their journey into the tunnels.

Elsewhere, Steve and the kids prepare for Dart's arrival. Max, Dustin, and Lucas prepare the bus as their base while Steve secures the surrounding area.

The quarantine doors of the lab's entrance to the tunnels open with a hiss. The team of soldiers step forward and into the affected area and prepare the elevator. Hopper and Owens watch anxiously from the other side of the glass as the team lowers themselves into the network of underground tunnels.

Steve begins the trail of gasoline, starting at the pile of bait that had been left for Dart and towards the entrance of the bus. Max finds a rusted latter in a pile of clutter, the perfect size for the bus's roof entrance.

The elevator reaches the pit of the tunnels, the grated metal floor touches the molded ground and the team disperses. One of many soldiers steadily adjusts the attached camera on their suit. Above ground and back inside the lab, one scientist adjusts the screen and assures everything is in place. He unfolds the rough sketch of the tunneled system taken from the conference room map.

"Let's see if this kid's a wizard or schizo, Doc."

Owens and Hopper shift uneasily, and Hopper runs a coarse and calloused hand across his face in his nerves. The scientist at the control panel switches on the coms, the action creates a harsh ring as the sounds adjust and he leans forward into the mic.

"First door on your right, gentlemen."

The team in the tunnels steadily gather information, their flashlights raised and weapons poised as they begin their trek.

One by one, the kids file into the bus. Steve is the last to enter, assuring everyone makes it onto the bus. He takes one last lingering look around at their work and notes their timing. The sun had just begun to set and the golden rays of sunlight had just begun to kiss the horizon, they had finished just in time.

He steps inside and the bus door slams shut, closing them all inside as they begin their long wait.

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

Night has fallen and with it a soft sheet of fog blankets the junkyard. Far enough from city lights, the stars are visible, hanging brightly in the night sky. His binoculars around his neck, Lucas ascends the creaky latter to the top of the bus. He positions himself on his stomach, where he can safely hide behind the barricade of tires they had procured.

Ignoring the knots that cool in his stomach from the frightful thought, he begins his shift of lookout, eyes peeled for any sign of Dart.

Inside, the others rest wait patiently as for any signs of activity. Max has occupied one of the vacant bus seats, and she sits slouched, arms folded less than impressed with the outcome of the night. Bored, she watches Steve across the bus as he routinely flips and closes his lighter, his eyes trained on it in a weak attempt to combat boredom.

Anxious to pass the time, and her curiosity peaked as to why her high school stepbrothers rival was in on the charade, she attempts to make conversation.

"So you really fought one of these things before?"

He tears his eyes away from the small flame in his hands to meet her eye. He gives her a flat smile and nods silently before returning his attention to the lighter. With one swift hand movement, it clicks shut and he returns to his physical mantra of opening and closing the small device.

"And you're, like, totally, one hundred percent sure it wasn't a bear?"

Steve is surprised to find a weak and breathless chuckle escape him. Dustin - who had been nervously pacing the bus - stopped suddenly, turning tp her with his voice raised.

"Shit. Don't be an idiot. Okay? It wasn't a bear."

Max does a double-take, surprised at the kid's actions and it was enough to capture Steve's attention.

"Why are you even here if you don't believe us?" Dustin asks shortly. "Just go home."

Her eyebrows twitch up in surprise as she rises from her seat and heads for the latter.

"Geesh. Somebody's cranky. Past your bedtime?" She quips, before disappearing up the latter.

Steve watches in bemused shock, fighting the grin that twitches at his lips and his eyes fall to Dustin. The boy is still pacing, bow from stewing in anger that elicits several huffs from him.

"That's good." Steve praised. "Just show her you don't care."

Dustin stops suddenly, his voice flat but upset.

"I don't."

A sly grin forms on Steve's face, and he gives the boy a wink.

"Why are you winking?" Dustin asks, annoyed. "Steve? Stop."

With effort, Steve managed to put away the smirk and the two are soon cloaked in silence once more.

Up on the bus' roof, Max has joined Lucas's company and together, the two look out on the surrounding fog.

"It's kind of awesome." She says.

Lucas looks at her in surprise, his brows furrowing into a curious frown.

"Huh?"

"The fog, I mean." She says. "It looks like the ocean."

Lucas lowers the binoculars, his gaze turning to her.

"You miss it?"

"What?"

Lucas hoists himself up, bringing himself to a more comfortable sitting position. When he looks at her, it is not hard for him to notice the change in her. She gazes out at the landscape, her eyes occasionally flickering to his but most importantly he sees the forlorn look in them.

"The ocean," he says. "The waves? California?"

Max shrugs, her face melting into a weak frown and her attention shifts somewhere else.  
He smiles weakly.

"Hawkins seems pretty lame, I bet." He offered.

"No, no, no, it's not that." She says. "It's just..."

The words die on her tongue when she realizes who she is talking to, opening up to. What she is talking about. And yet, she doesn't let it stop her and she doesn't know why. Taking a deep breath, she lets the words spill out.

"My dad's still there. So..."

"Why?" Lucas asks sadly.

Her regular composure comes back in a fleeting moment, and she chuckles dryly.

"It's this legal term called "divorce." She quips. "See, when two married people don't love each other anymore..."

"Yeah." Lucas mumbles.

They share a weak smile, and reluctantly Max continues.

"My mom and my step-dad, they wanted a fresh start away from him. As if... As if he was the problem, which is total bull. And things... are just worse now."

Her saddened gaze hardens on the land below them, and Lucas can tell, in this moment, she is not all there.

"My step brother's always been a dick, but now he's just angry... all the time..." She sniffles, breaking her eyes away for a brief moment. "Well, he can't take it out on my mom, so..."

"So he takes it out on you?" Lucas asks, his heart aching.

She looks at him through the tears pooling in her eyes, and she looks just as surprised that she is sharing this. She shakes her head in hopes it will magically make everything better. 

"I don't even know why I'm telling you this," Max says, the lump in her throat hardening as she struggles at what to say next. "It's just... I know that I can be a jerk like him sometimes, and I do not want to be like him. Ever. I guess I'm angry, too, and... I'm sorry."

Lucas says nothing, only staring at her in astonishment that she was opening up. The embarrassment grows in her and she angrily wipes away her tears once more.

She's embarrassed by the pitiful look in his eye, and her cheeks darken, already pink from crying. Angrily, she swipes at her cheek, catching her tears and laughs dryly at herself.

"Jesus! What is wrong with me?"

Lucas is snapped out of his daze and he sits up fully, leaning forward. When he speaks, his tone is soft and urgent. Reassuring.

"Hey, you're nothing like your brother, okay?"

Max listens, taken aback as he continues.

"You're cool and different. And you're super smart. And you're, like," he throws his hands up with a gesture, smirking. "totally tubular."

His antics crack a smile, and much to her surprise she feels a warmth spread in her chest. A warmth she hasn't felt in a long, long time.

"Nobody actually says that, you know."

"Well, I do now."

She nods, a sarcastic gleam in her eye. 

"And it makes you seem really cool."

A thoughtful look crosses Lucas's face, and he tilts his head. 

"I like talking with you, Mad Max."

"And I like talking with you, stalker." She smiles.

A wild growl echoes from the distance capturing everyone's attention. Down below, Steve and Dustin scurry to the nearest window, peering out into the fog. Hearts hammering in their chest, they scan the land for any signs of movement, their eyes peering through the grates window from behind the sheets of metal they had used to barricade the bus.

"You see him?" Dustin asks quietly.

"No."

Dustin turns, calling up to the roof.

"Lucas, what's going on?"

"Hold on!" He calls, binoculars aimed at junkyard entrance.

His view flies across the landscape in a hurry, Max watching anxiously beside him as she squints through the yard. Lucas tenses when he catches a soft and barely audible thump from the east entrance, and his binoculars land on a car in the distance he could have sworn moved.

"Shit." He breathes.

Max's gaze flickers to him for a brief moment before hastily scanning the fog once more.

"What? Did you see something?"

"I-I don't know-" 

His thought is cut short by his own sudden gasp, the binoculars had found a four-legged figure stalking through the fog.

"I've got eyes!" He calls. "Ten o'clock. Ten o'clock!"

Sure enough, Steve and Dustin locked eyes on the dark figure making its way through the yard.

"There," Steve whispers, his heartbeat spiking.

"What's he doing?" Dustin asks.

"I don't know."

Lucas and Max study the horizon, and Max - who now holds the binoculars - spots a flurry legged creature hidden in the fog. She turns to Lucas, giving him a skeptical look.

"Wait. You sure that's not a dog?"

"What?"

A familiar hitter rings through the air, and everyone stiffens. A worried look crosses Steve's face when he sees Dart circling the bait.

"He's not taking the bait. Why's he not taking the bait?"

"Maybe he's not hungry?" Dustin offered.

"Maybe he's sick of cow,"

Steve backs away from the window, his heart hammering. He knows what he has to do, but he doesn't like it. Dustin looks at him worriedly, but Steve only nods before retrieving his bat and heading for the door.

"Steve? Steve, what are you doing? Steve?"

He turns, the moonlight pouring in from the roof hatch and illuminating his worried but determined features. He retrieves his lighter from his back pocket and holds it up.

"Just get ready." He says, tossing Dustin the lighter.

The bus doors open with a creak, and slowly Steve creeps outside, bat gripped tightly in hand. He takes a few cautious steps before the bus doors close with a creak. Slowly, he paces the grounds, twirling his bat in hands ready to strike. He whistles, hoping to draw Dart near but nothing happens.

"Come on, buddy."

Max climbs hastily down the ladder, joining Dustin by the window.

"What's he doing?"

"Expanding the menu."

"Come on, buddy," Steve repeats, his voice wavering. "Come on, buddy. Come on. Dinner time. Human tastes better than cat, I promise."

Max shakes her head in disbelief, unable to tear her eyes away from the scene.

Dustin only grins in a mix of pride and awe.

"He's awesome."

Catching a glimpse of movement, a darkness in the fog, Steve swings his bat back and forth, causing a rift in the sea of fog. Slowly it disperses, revealing a snarling and newly evolved Dart. Roughly the size of a small wolf, he now looked more like a demogorgan than ever.

Up above, Lucas spots two more figures closing in on Steve from behind.

"Steve, watch out!" He cries.

"A little busy here!" Steve snaps.

"Three o'clock! Three o'clock!"

Reluctantly, he turns and to his horror, he sees what Lucas was talking about. Scaling the surrounds vehicles, are two more Dart like creatures slowly advancing on him.

In the bus, Dustin jumps to action.

"Steve!" He rips the bus door open. "Steve! Abort! Abort!"

Dart lunges at Steve before he can make his escape. Steve is able to dodge the creature's attack, just barely, and manages to duck behind a car. He can hear rapidly approaching footsteps and he turns quickly, the sharp edges of the bat striking away another demogorgan mutant.

"Steve run!"

"Steve hurry!"

With his latest opponent still winded, it buys Steve enough time to make a break for the bus, another creature hot on his heels. He has to dive, but he just barely makes it. His toes cross the threshold as Dustin closes the door. A loud thump reverberates through the bus and it shakes violently upon impact. The mutant Demogorgan's efforts to get inside do not cease, the horrible sound of metal being clawed chills their ears and bus door continues to move.

"Holy shit!"

"Are they rabid or something?" Max shrieks.

Steve grabs an extra sheet of metal from the windshield and places it against the bouncing door. He plants his feet against it, and the sheet begins to bounce just as so.

"They can't get in!" Lucas cries. "They can't!"

The bus takes several blows, and the whole bus rocks back and forth with it. The sound of metal hitting metal grabs their attention from the back of the bus. One of them had broken through a gap. Steve is there in seconds, with all his might he swings the bat at the slimy arm poking through.

Dustin grabs his headset, flipping it on screams into the mic.

"Is anyone there? Y/n? Mike? God! Anyone!"

Another break in the wall sends Max and Lucas across the bus, eliciting several horrified shrieks from each of them.

"We're at the old junkyard," Dustin continues. "and we are going to die!"

Another loud and heavy thump shakes the bus, turning Max's head. It had come from the back, but all she saw was Steve finishing off the first beach. Then another thump came, and that is when she noticed the ceiling of the bus bend under each thump.

One was on the bus, and it was heading straight for the roof hatch. It grew closer with every thump and slowly she looked up. For the briefest of seconds, all she saw was the night sky. Then slowly, a large slimy head came into view. Its grey, petal-liked head opened up as it snarled at her, revealing hundreds of its thorn shaped teeth and drool dribbled down the latter before her.

Her mouth opened, and her petrified screams hit her ears before she could even register she was screaming. Max stumbled back, and Steve's arm sweeping her aside assisting and he quickly took her place.

"Out of the way! Out of the way! You want some? Come get this!"

He has then spiked sat in the creatures direction and it hunches down in an attack position. Its mouth opens once more, and it lets out an awful roar. He grips the bat tighter, ready to swing when something catches its attention. Its guard lowers and looks off at the horizon in curiosity and Steve freezes.

The beast draws back in another snarl and in the blink of an eye, a thunderous boom echoes across the valley and sends it flying with a painful shriek. With it, a violent force rocks the bus that sends everyone in a mad scramble for balance. For a moment, Dustin fears in the midst of all the commotion, he had grown faint. A gust of warm wind accompanies the tremor that he first mistakes as hot flashes. But when his ears perk, they barely catch the fading echoes of stained scream.

Everyone has frozen, completely rooted in place in fear of another attack and Max is the only one brave enough to speak.

"What the hell was that?" She hissed.

More tremors shake the ground and several grunts and thumps are heard. Everyone scrambles to the window when they realize they are ni o longer the target. Dustin is the last to reach the window but he realizes exactly what it is before ever laying eyes on it.

"Stay back!" Cries a familiar voice. "Stay, the hell, back!"

Not single soul dares to blink, much too captivated by the change in events. Packed in against the windows, fighting for window space, they stare through the grated window in complete shock and awe as Y/n Henderson battles the mutants. They almost didn't recognize her. Besides the fact she was constantly moving - barely dodging their attacks - and the powerful bursts of energy emanating from her hands, she held herself differently.

She was also dressed in baggy, shoddy clothing. Ripped jeans two sizes too big that were buckled just above her waist, and several layered shirts Dustin nor Lucas had ever seen her wear. Everyone watched dumbfounded as she threw her hands up left and right, and with it, hot bursts of air blowing knocking back the creatures.

She bent over, grabbing her knees and they could see her swallowing as much air as she could, her knees wobbling. Before they could snap into action to help, she rose once more and held her hands out ready to strike once more.

"Steve! What the hell are we doing, we gotta go help her! Now!" Dustin hissed.

Steve nodded, a bewildered look on his face still. Nevertheless, his feet finally began to respond to his brains signals and he headed for the door. The bus rattled with his movements and the Demogorgan's stilled, looking towards the bus. The kids eyes widened and for a moment, Dustin feared they had been heard, further agitated the creatures. But much to everyone's surprise, one by one they retreated.

They circled Y/n, looking ready to pounce and several even snarled at her, but they kept moving. They ran straight for the bus and Y/n's eyes widened in fear, she ran after them, ready to strike again when she stopped.

The creatures had run around the bus, completely fleeing from the scene. When she was sure they were safe, she collapsed to her knees, panting heavily.

"What the fuck just happened?" Max exclaimed suddenly.

Her words snapped everyone out of their daze and hastily they fled the bus, pooling put onto the ground.

"Y/n! Oh, my God, what the shit!" Dustin cried, running to her figure and sliding across the grass to join her.

Y/n looked up from the ground, color was drained from her face and branching put from her eyes and lips were a million tiny spider veins. She was still panting, gasping for breath but she was still very much aware of her surroundings.

"You're... welcome." She panted.

A squeaky, relieved laugh erupted from Dustin's throat and he tackled her in a hug, nearly sending her to the ground. Smiling, she reciprocated and after a moment the siblings parted.

She looked around at all the widened eyes, everyone was rendered speechless, waiting for her to speak. She licked her chapped lips and she hurriedly swiped away a drop of blood from her ears as it tickled her skin.

"I'll explain, I promise." She said, slowly regaining her composure. "But somebody better tell my why the everloving fuck are those back?"

"Are you kidding me? You can't just pull that shit and expect us to move on!" Lucas shouted.

"Shit," Max breathes, looking at Lucas in defeat. "So, like, you really weren't kidding. I owe you an apology."

Y/n blinked rapidly in surprise, her eyebrows shooting up. Her wild eyes flickered to Lucas questioningly. She had fully expected to have to explain herself to Max and Steve, but she never expected them to know.

"Lucas, you told her?" Y/n exclaims.

Lucas shifts uncomfortably on his feet, a sign of guilt despite his strong defense.

"I had to! Besides, she's been a big help and right now, we need a lot of that."

"Lucas," Y/n warns.

"What does it matter?" He snaps defensively. "You'd have to tell her anyway since she just saw all that!"

"Hey," Steve called.

"Well she wouldn't be here if you hadn't involved her!" Y/n snapped back, the grass beginning to heat beneath her and Dustin.

"Hey, hey, hey, hey!"

Steve's voice rings out in the hearing, and finally everyone silences and looks to him meekly.

"Jesus, you shits never listen," He grumbles, running one hand through his hair. "Look, I don't know what the hell just happened, and I'd sure as hell love some answers, but we have a bigger problem on our hands. We've got a whole lot more of these things to deal with than we thought, and we need to know where they're headed so we can stop them."

"What are you talking about? Y/n scared them off," Dustin said.

Y/n shook her head, a quizzical look on her face.

"No. No, I don't think I did." She said in realization. "Sure I took by surprise, but I was vastly outnumbered. They could have put up a bigger fight, but..."

"But they just stopped." Max finished, her voice grave.

Y/n nodded, lost in thought when Dustin rose to his feet, extending his hand for his sister. Grateful, she took it and wobbled to her feet, dusting off her palms and shins.

"Do you think they heard something?"

"I don't know," Steve mumbled, his bat coming to rest over his shoulder. "But whatever it is, it can't be good."

There was pause as they each echoed around worriedly at one another. It was soon disturbed by Lucas, who exhaled sharply.

"Okay, seriously, I can't take it anymore!" Lucas huffed, crossing his arms. "Stop dodging the question, and tell us what the hell is going on!"

Y/n looked around at the curious faces and sighed.

"Christ! I will!" She said, eyes darting between Steve and Max. "But I at least have the right to know how and why they are here seeing as they're about to hear what I have to say."

"We're low on hands, seeing as you or Mike, or even Will haven't been answering," Dustin says, his gone slipping into a scold.

Y/n winces, taking in a sharp breath through her clenched teeth.

"About that..."

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

Several beams of light crawl across the murky ground. Apart from the soft crackling of their comms, the squelching sound of footsteps bounces around the tunnel.

"Almost there, ladies."

"Roger."

After several twists and turns, the men find themselves at their target location. The tunnels has led them to the hub, they scan the area for any disturbances but find none. Just several other entrances to the hub, and among the small space are several giant spores that move as if they're breathing.

"Stay frosty, boys." One orders.

With great caution, they step forward, but a sudden snap echoes off the walls and they stand aside to see several bones scatter amongst the damp earth.

From up above in the lab, Hopper takes note dog the screen. His eyes widen in recognition and he urgently steps forward to examine the monitor further.

"Wait. That's where I was?"

"What?" Owens asks, turning.

"It's that damn graveyard." He says.

The soldiers slowly scatter across the grounds, several bones crush beneath their feet. The team's leader grips his weapon tighter and scans the area further as he speaks.

"Sir, there's nothing here."

The man at the controls turns his head to address Owens. His lips press into a firm line and he shrugs halfheartedly.

"Looks like your kid's full of shit, Doc."

Hopper and Owens wear a similar frown, and share an uneasy glance. They both know something is amiss, but they say why. Suddenly, as if to answer their suspicions, a long, high pitched growl echoes through the soldier's coms.

The men turn in circles, to their surprise, large clouds of fog begin to pool in from every tunnel surrounding them. It engulfs their feet and settles around their ankles, spiking their nerves as they hear the growling grow closer.

Elsewhere in the facility, Will lays stiffly in his hospitality bed. He has paled once more and his lip quivers, her heart clenched with guilt.

Finally, he gathers the courage and strength to speak. Speak as himself. Though it is still with great difficulty, the second presence inside him fighting to keep him quiet but.

"I-I'm sorry." He whimpers.

Joyce and the others perk up in confusion, and Joyce wastes no time in reassuring him. She gently rubs his arm, and her heart is gripped by fear as she recognizes the same in her son.

"What? What do you mean, sweetie?" She cooes.

His breathing grows labored as he fights a losing battle against the tears forming his eyes. He looks to his mother, and he can feel himself drowning in guilt and regret. He shudders at the thought of what he has done and weakly he speaks through the tears.

"He made me do it." He sniffles.

Joyce rises to her feet to comfort her son, unaware of the thoughtful glance on Mike's face.

"Who? Who made you do what?"

Will's darkened pupils look up at her in fear, and he speaks through choked cries, his body shaking like a leaf.

"I told you," He says. "They upset him. They shouldn't have done that. They shouldn't have upset him."

Before Joyce can question him further, Mike looks up at his friend, completely aghast. His stomach plunges in fear and his eyes widen in realization.

"The spy." He says fearfully, and he sees Will subtly shake his head. "The spy!"

Mike jumps to his feet, startling Bob and Joyce in the process and bolts through the door.

Above the tunnels in the observation room, a scientist monitoring the radar turns suddenly addressing the team.

"We've got movement." She informs.

The man grips the microphone tightly, one eye on the radar as he attempts to alert the team.

"You've got company, fellas."

Back in the hallway, Mike crashed into the guards stationed by the closed-off hallway. He fights and kicks with all his might, his voice elevated and frightened.

"I need to get through! It's a trap!"

The guards roughly push him back where he fell into Bob's arms, who had followed Mike into the hall. He attempts to pull him back but Mike continues to fight against him.

"It's a trap! I need to warn them. It's a trap!" He screams.

The fog has now engulfed the hub, and the team's vision is blurred. Several frightened and overlapping voices spill out into the air as they form a tight circle.

"I can't see shit! Where are they? Where are they?"

"They're right on you!" The tech urges, growing more frightened.

The radar has completely lit up, dozens of shots sprinkle the area and all they can do is watch, hoping their warning is enough. The cameras are fogged, the radar their only hope at saving them.

"Wait, what?"

"What was that?"

Several horrific screeches pierce the air, barely muffled through the coms. The radio channel is soon filled with gunfire and terrible shrieks of agony, and all they can do now is watch and listen in horror, knowing there is little to no hope of saving them now.

And in a frantic effort to understand, Joyce lightly shakes Will's shoulders as he cries. She is choking back tears of her own as she does so.

"Will, sweets, talk to me. You got to help me understand."

Will is crying freely now, and he shakes violently with sobs.

"It's too late."

The last thing the observation team sees is the only remaining soldier scurry for the camera when all goes to static. Everyone is shocked into silence, and they look around at one another fearfully. Hopper is the only one to move, he has taken sight of the nearest radar and his blood runs cold. Every dot on the map in near-perfect sync flees through one tunnel.

The tunnel the soldiers had come from.

"You should go." Will sobs, his eyes filled with fear.

Moments later, the silence in the observation room is disturbed by familiar shrill cries that echo out from where the elevator had disappeared.

Hopper turns to face the glass as do the others, and everyone is suddenly aware - all too late - that things were only getting worse. He races to window, and from there, all he can see is the bottomless looking pit, but the shrill cries only grow stronger.

"They're almost here," Will says.

A concerned frown forms on Hopper's face as he studies the cables cautiously. The elevator cables begin to move, twist, and twirl, creating a reverberating his of metal curling before settling into small vibrations. And out of the depths of the pit, one by one, the mutated army of demogorgans emerge.

__________

Sorry if this chapter basically assumed what you usually wear. I normally stay away from all that, so if you usually wear that sort of stuff [I do too so I get it lol]. I do my best to let you guys imagine what you wear cause I always enjoy that in a reader insert. The clothes will be explained next episode! I just picture Y/n Henderson in clothes like max's in season 2, handmedowns and stuff since the Hendersons probably aren't the *richest* and it's just Claudia Henderson so yeah

Just an fyi for chapter ahead:

Y/h = your height [tall, short, etc.]  
H/l = hair length  
H/t = hair type [curly, straight, etc.]  
H/c = hair color  
S/c = skin color

On that note, for reference for the next chapter, I know we don't all look like our moms, but for the sake of the plot, she looks like you in this story if she doesn't already. Thank you!


	26. The Lost Sister - P1

↬ previously ↫

"Mama? It's me. Jane. I'm home."

"No."

"RUN!"

"Breathe."

"RUN!"

"Three to the right, four to the left."

"Breathe."

"Sunflower."

"Rainbow."

"Three the right."

"RUN!"

"Four fifty."

"RUN!"

"Rainbow."

"Three to the right."

"RUN!"

El rips the blindfold off her eyes in panic, her breathing heavy and uneven. As she is brought back to reality she looks up at her mother in her rocking chair. There are tears in her eyes and she is sadly uttering the same words.

"Run. Breathe. Sunflower. Rainbow. Three to the right. Four to the left."

El feels a pair of arms wrap gently around her and she can feel her own shaking, her shoulders rising and falling rapidly. She feels a hand grab hers and she knows it's Y/n. She squeezes her hand for comfort and Y/n gently runs her thumb over the back of her hand, showing her support.

No one says anything for a while, and apart from her mother's mumbling, she sits in silence embracing the support given to her as she tries to calm her racing heart.

||3rd Person POV||

"And it just kept repeating?" Becky asks.

The three had returned to the kitchen, Becky and El sitting across one another while Y/n stood leaning against the counter behind El, a glass of water in hand. El frowned at the foreign word.

"Repeat?"

"Like a circle?" Becky answered. "Just showing you the same image over and over?"

El thought bout this, and her eyes glanced in Y/n's direction without moving her head.

"She kept showing the woman, and the girl in the room."

"The rainbow room?"

El nodded, flinching ever so slightly at the invasion of a flashback. A memory that wasn't hers, trapped in her mind.

Becky thought about this, her fingers drummed lightly against the back of her hand lost in thought. She shrugged, her hand waving slightly before falling back onto the table.

"I guess that makes sense, Terry always believed you weren't the only..." Becky trailed off, her eyes fixed on the other young girl in her kitchen.

Y/n had her eyes fixed on the tile floor, her glass of water she had been refilling from the kitchen sink gripped tightly in hand though it hung lazily against her chest. She seemed to be lost in thought, though she must have only been listening. Her e/c eyes left the floor when she noticed Becky had stopped talking and she looked between her and El, curiously as if she had missed something.

But then she noted that Becky's eyes bad fallen to her glass and Y/n's eyes followed. The water had begun to bubble only slightly, but it was all too visible through the crystal glass. Y/n's eyes widened, quickly she set the cup down on the counter and the bubbles disappeared within seconds. She cleared her throat, uncomfortable with the attention and her eyes fell to the floor once more. Save for a few glances at Becky, who eyed her curiously.

Becky spoke finally, in response to El, although her eyes were still drawn to Y/n.

"The woman she kept showing you, what did she look like?"

In the time between El departure from her mother's mind, and their current discussion at the table, El had briefly filled them in on each image she was shown to the best of her ability. And while they had gotten the picture, it was still out of focus, details were fuzzy and hard to identify.

That was, until now.

El thought about the question, she had only seen it played out normally once, and the woman was at a great distance. But this didn't stop her from trying. She spoke slowly with a frown on her face as she reached farther and farther into her memory.

"She was pretty." She began, smiling sadly. "She had [h/l] [h/t] [h/c] hair. And [s/c] skin. She was [y/h]."

El met her aunt's gaze and nodded, confirming her suspicions.

"I think..." she turned to her best friend, who watched with teary eyes. "It was your mom."

"My- My mom, she showed you my mom?"

El nodded sadly. Y/n looked between Becky and El shifted on her feet, wringing her hands nervously.

"So, my mom, she's...?" Y/n took a deep breath and attempted to swallow the lump in her throat.

El nodded, and for a moment studied the body language of her friend. El didn't quite have a read on body language, but she knew enough to know her best friend was in great distress. Tentatively, she reached out her arm over the back of the wooden chair and extended her hand, offering what Y/n had offered her countless times in their friendship. Support and understanding.

Y/n graciously took her hand and sniffled. Though it proved fruitless and she stepped forward, and grabbed a napkin from the center of the table and blew her nose before sitting down between Becky and El. She wiped her nose and looked to El.

"Why did they take her? Why did they, you know... What did she do?"

El's gaze fell to the table and she thought about it.

"I'm not sure. She said Mama could still make it. That she knew where to go."

Becky sighed, capturing the two girls' attention and she planted her face in her hands. She rubbed her eyes tiredly and swept her hands across her face before addressing Y/n and El.

"You two have to realize, I only did what I thought was best for Terry. I really thought all those things, that happened to her, that it had affected her. That's why I didn't believe her."

They looked at her curiously, having already understood this. She anxiously met their eye before looking away again.

"But another thing she told me, something she insisted before she," Becky faltered, and gestured to her sister in the other room. "Terry thought she could have gotten you out. Terry thought she could have gotten you out because someone else did."

"For the longest time, she was telling me about [y/m/n]. I didn't really believe her, but according to her another woman had a baby," Becky paused, looking at Y/n briefly who was listening intently. "A special baby. Like you, El. And they wanted her, but according to Terry, and I guess, what you saw, she really did get her baby out."

Something clicked in Y/n's mind, and she focused carefully on the intricate patterns of the wooden table as her mind brought the pieces into place.

"I was found." She muttered.

El and Becky shared a look before returning their attention to her.

"My mom and Dustin - my brother, he was no bigger than I was at the time," she added last minute to Becky. "was in town, visiting family. And mom said they found me."

She shook her head and scoffed lightly in disbelief. Tears streaming freely down her S/C cheeks.

"On a walk. She said she stepped out to get some air, and she heard me crying... the neighborhood, I guess, was on the edge of the woods or something," Y/n blubbered, she wiped her nose with her napkin once more and took several deep breaths. "All I had was a thin blanket, I hadn't even been properly cleaned. Mom always said it was a miracle I didn't freeze to death out there,"

El tilted her head, clearly confused. "Miracle?"

"A very very good thing that isn't usual, or expected."

Becky explained.

"Anyway," Y/n sniffled, cracking the smallest of smiles. "I guess that answers that question, I kept myself warm."

A weak chuckle escaped her and El smiled weakly. Becky didn't understand but Y/n quickly explained.

"It wasn't until last year I found out I had... powers."

After all this time, Y/n still felt a little silly saying it. It didn't help that she almost never spoke it aloud but she guess in this instance she could.

"To be perfectly honest I'm still finding things I didn't know I could do."

"That doesn't really surprise me," Becky piped. "Then again, it's getting kinda hard to surprise me at the moment. Terry went on about you a lot. She said they were after [y/m/n]'s daughter because she- you were supposed to have-"

Becky stopped, the same words from last year popping back into her mind. The same words she told that Byers woman and the chief.

"Supposedly had some 'untapped potential for the greater good.' Some real pseudoscience shit."

She bit her lip before she could say the words and Y/n's frown hardened. She leaned forward, urgently.

"What?"

Becky looked at the kid before her, her eyes were pleading and she already felt guilty. But she also couldn't dump such a heavy load on a child, especially after she had learned what she just learned.

Becky sighed and looked at the girl.

"Potential. Apparently, whoever was after you had plenty of reasons to believe that you can do a whole lot more than boil some water. Let's just leave it at that."

She said, gesturing with her eyes to the forgotten glass of water sitting on the counter. Y/n gave her an incredulous look.

"What do you-? That can't be right. I mean, sure my mom must have been, well you know experimented on when she was pregnant with me, but I didn't grow up in a lab like El. I wasn't trained, or-"

She stopped, choosing her words carefully.

"I never learned how to use my powers. How could I have any more potential than El?"

Becky shrugged her shoulders and looked between the girls.

"I really don't know sweetie, to be honest, I'm still getting used to the fact that all this stuff is real."

A defeated sigh escaped her chest and her chin came to rest on her hand, propped up by her arms resting on the surface of the coffee table. There was a brief silence apart from the mumbles of the television and El allowed herself to dwell on the loop of borrowed memories playing over in her head.

"The girl," She reminds, tentative. "She also kept showing me the girl."

Y/n turned to her, quizzically, the gears turning in her head.

"What about her, El?"

"I think Mama wants us to find her."

A frown found it's way onto Y/n's face but she allowed her friend the benefit of the doubt. She was unsure about all of this, but unlike El's aunt, she was still in the process of swallowing all of this new information herself. The girl looked at Becky and she nodded in thought, before rising from the table. El and Y/n followed curiously as she led them into the next room, the small office space adjoining the living room. Becky bent over and pulled open a drawer from a steel filing cabinet, it was filled with several manilla folders.

"When Terry was looking for you," Becky began, her fingers riffling through the dozens of file folders. "She kept these files of other missing kids. Kids she thought were like you."

Without glancing back at them, Becky grabbed a small handful of files and dropped on the floor near Y/n and El's feet while she kept searching. Immediately, the pair of friends knelt down to the ground and began pouring over the folders. 

"Maybe that girl is in here somewhere." Becky finished, grabbing the last of the folders before joining the girls on the carpet.

Y/n and El had each taken a folder, and anytime Y/n had happened across a photo she would show to El. But she would only shake her head. Y/n did keep an eye put for any possible leads as to her possible birth mother. She had a first name and a description. But that something. And something she could certainly keep an eye out for.

"Does anyone look familiar?" Becky asked hopefully.

She was met with silence as El continued to riffle through her folder. El had nearly reached the end when she unexpectedly froze, grabbing the attention of the other two in her company. Before either her friend or her aunt could attempt to sneak a glimpse of the photo, El grabbed the photocopy and closed the folder. It was another newspaper article, featuring a photo of a very young girl with braids. The caption read, "VANISHED! Indian Girl Missing in London".

"Is that her?" Becky asked softly.

El looked up, her heart racing, and nodded.

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

El found herself in the void for the third time that day. Her toes sinking into the imaginary water, and she was greeted by the usual chill. Like a visible mantra, she repeats the image of the girl her mother had shown her, not the picture she held in her hands. The girl in the rainbow room, the girl playing with blocks, and before she knows it El can hear a small crackling behind her.

She turns and much to her relief, her hopeful heart spiking, she sees a figure standing in the distance. The figure had their back turned to El and they were standing over a large metal barrel with fire bubbling over the top. It was a very strange sight to El, but in a way, it was quite rewarding. El had finally found some luck, this being the first sign of the girl she had found since her first attempt. 

After finding the article, she had set out to search for the girl with no such luck. Night had fallen by now and Y/n had thanked her past self for packing an extra set of clothes. Y/n was wary of staying the night but ultimately agreed they needed more information. Becky was more than accommodating, she had pulled out a futon for the girls to share where they now lay. Few words were exchanged, given the tremendous load, the friends had been through. Though they still managed to crack a smile when El had learned from Y/n what the term sleepover meant.

"Thanks for bringing me along El," Y/n mumbled, wrapped under their shared blanket, head sinking into her pillow.

El had turned her head to look at her friend and nodded simply. Between themselves, Y/n was slightly better at holding a conversation, but it was nice. Y/n never pressured her to talk.

"I'm sorry it wasn't under better circumstances, but, at least we get to have our first sleepover," she whispered sleepily.

Y/n quickly noted the confusion on her friend's face, and smiled weakly, fighting the weight of her heavy eyelids.

"A sleepover is something best friends do. Stay at each other's houses, usually, they watch a movie or play a game or something but, "Y/n trailed off, a yawn escaping her. "Well, you know. But you get to talk after dark, and even see each other in the morning. The point is, it's nice that we get to spend some time together."

El found herself smiling at the words and her spirits perked for the first time since their arrival. It gave El a spark of hope. Hope that, when all of this was figured out, and everything had smoothed over. That maybe she could have a normal life. A normal life with her aunt and she could have a real chance at seeing Mike, and having sleepovers with Y/n, and playing outside and just being a kid. But that was on the back burner. She needed to find this girl, she had done what she had set out to do, she found her mother and she couldn't help but feel like her mother was telling her something. To seek out this girl.

And that's just what she had to do.

It wasn't long until Y/n had turned over on her side, mumbling a soft goodnight before she was fast asleep. But El was still wide awake. Her mother's memories were still plaguing her and she felt restless. El picked up the picture of the girl from the newspaper, she had kept it in her pocket and she decided to herself that another attempt wouldn't hurt.

So here she was, creeping cautiously towards her fate with bated breath. Guardedly, she calls out to figure, smoke flocking into the air from where the makeshift firepit stands before it.

"Hello?"

She approaches the figure and as she gets closer and closer her suspicions are quickly confirmed when she recognizes the figure. The girl, as she was in her mother's memories, she was a few years older than herself. And she was dressed in dark shabby clothing, and her hair looks, purple? El isn't sure, but her heart is hammering much too hard in her chest to worry and before she has time to glance at her face she is gasping for breathing, back in reality.

Excitedly, she turns to Y/n, but she is lost in sleep and she allows her friend a few more minutes. Like herself, she had been through a great deal and it seemed to have taken a toll on her. But she would tell her aunt. She practically jumps from the mattress, and bursts into the hallway, running for stairs. Fighting the urge to shout, she calls out to her aunt when she reaches the top of the stairs.

"Becky! Becky, I found her!"

When she reaches the kitchen, she looks around excitedly for the woman, surely she would know what to do next. Only seconds pass until she tubes into her aunt's voice carrying from the other room.

"I just-- I didn't know who to call."

El steps further into the kitchen, her head peeking around the corner to find her aunt Becky, phone to her ear. She was talking anxiously into the phone as she paced across her back porch, the door ajar as she glanced at a slip of paper.

"He gave me this number, and he came here looking for her. I thought maybe he could help me."

El felt a sick feeling bubble up in her stomach, and a dark and heavy weight settle onto her heart as she watched the all too familiar exchange. It reminded her of the nice man that took her in when she first escaped. But she desperately attempts to put that memory from her mind.

"Yeah, Jim Hopper, he came here with some woman named Joyce Byers?"

El watches disgusted and hurt as her only remaining family turns her in. Their own private conversation from before plays mockingly over in her head. Of when she was invited to stay. In the lovely, and comforting room that was supposed to be hers. And although her mom wasn't the same, she could still be with her. And just as soon as it had come, the dream life she had conjured for herself just minutes ago, evaporated into thin air. A normal life with no rules, where she could go outside, or at the very least, look out of a single window.

Visits with Mike, sleepovers with Y/n. A normal life. Gone. Just like that.

"Well," sighed Becky, her figure temporarily stepping out of view. "that's a little hard to explain. Uh..."

El shifted uneasily, the dark sludge in her stomach only multiplying in volume at what Becky mentioned next.

"There's another girl, two actually, uh, she came here with a friend of hers? I don't know much, but it sounds like the kid comes from the same side of the tracks as the other but as far as I know, she's got a family. Said she was adopted... No, I did not, I did not catch a last name but she goes by Y/n. Look, I don't if she's a runaway, or what, but she showed up at my doorstep with the other and I just put them to bed... No, mam, it's just those two, but I think another one is missing. I just, I just didn't know who to call... Thank you, thank you. And you are?"

"Florence," Becky repeated, though she paused when she heard the distant sound of the front door opening.

"I'm gonna have to call you back." She mumbled nervously into the phone, though she is already steadily on her way to the kitchen counter.

Discarding the phone and the slip of paper, she looks on in disbelief as she finds the contents of her purse spilling out across the counter. And in the center, wide open and empty, her leather wallet.

Picking up her speed she races through the front room and towards the front door, it remains wide open and the cold autumn wind seeping in hits her like the brisk reality she faces.

And like the dreams El had conjured, the girls were gone as easily as they came.


	27. The Lost Sister - P2

||Reader's POV||

I hug my jacket tighter around my chest, my teeth chattering still from the cold air. Luckily the seats El and I picked ended up near the bus' heater. Though at least the chill is keeping me awake and alert. I remember drifting off on the futon at Becky's, the next thing I know El is shaking me awake and pulling me down the stairs. All I had time to grab was my jacket and slip on my shoes and we were out the door. Hell, I didn't even get to change out of my pajamas.

I tried asking her what happened and where the hell we were going, not to mention so late at night. She was much too spooked and truthfully I haven't seen her run that fast. Well, at least since last year. But no matter how much I tried to ask, she just kept silent, apart from a few words which I'm pretty sure were to shut me up.

"It's not safe."

So here we were, on a bus heading who knows where. I felt a pair of eyes on me and I looked cautiously to my side, several people were giving us strange even some sympathetic looks. I remember for what seems like the billionth time that I am in sweatpants and tee-shirt, and I hug my jacket tighter around my torso. I turned to look at El, and I can make out her disheartened reflection watching droplets of rain cascade down the foggy glass. I rest my head tiredly on the back of my seat and I attempt to break the silence.

"El?"

Her head rolls across the seat to face me, I can tell she is tired like me though I sense a great deal of it is emotional exhaustion as well as physical. A million questions run through my head but I only.find myself asking one.

"Are you okay?"

She sniffled but gave me no immediate answer. I could tell she was debating on whether or not she should lie. Finally, she speaks, her voice cracked and a little broken.

"No."

I wince, my a lump forming my throat feeling as if I am unable to help her. I extend my hand, as she did this afternoon, and she took it. I gave her palm a reassuring squeeze and I looked in her eyes.

"El, what happened? You can tell me," I reassure.

Her brown eyes fall to my hands, and I can tell she is trying to blink back tears.

"She called us in." She whispered, sniffling. "I'm sorry."

"Wait, what do you mean? Why are you sorry?" I ask gently.

"I heard her," she choked back. "She called for the policeman. And... And she gave them your name. I'm sorry Y/n."

"My name?" I gulped. "So, the police are gonna, know I'm...?"

She nodded, tearfully and I could see the remorse in her eyes.

Instinctively, I gave her hand another reassuring squeeze and forced a half-assed smile.

"It's okay, it's not entirely your fault El," I said. "Yeah, I'm not going to lie. That's not good, but I also knew what I was risking when I went with you. The truth is, things really haven't been going super well at home. Everyone's fighting - more than usual,"

El cracks a small smile at that, and I feel one spread across my face as well. But it quickly fades as I continue.

"Like I said before, Mike hasn't been himself since you left. And now Will is acting up, in fact, he's... completely different. He's sick, he's really sick and he's angrier than usual. The party is falling apart, and I've felt more alone these past few weeks than I have in a really long time. And on top of it all," I lower my voice even more. "I'm still finding stuff I didn't know I could do. I've been having trouble, controlling my powers."

El looked to me surprised, her eyebrows raised though I was relieved to see I had halted her crying. I nodded.

"The point is, you showing up has been just what I needed. And yes, it's really scary, but thanks to you I found out how I got here, where I came from. That's really good! I have you to thank for that."

We shared a weak smile, and there a beat of silence. I took a deep breath and she was the first to break the ice.

"I found her. The girl."

I perked up a bit, and I looked to El El hopefully.

"Really? That's great! So did you get a name? Maybe the girl's name or where we're going?"

The hope in El's face fell, and she shook her head. But her face scrunched up thoughtfully as if she was trying to remember something she might have missed.

"A city." She looked at me quizzically, and she spoke the next words and it was clear to me she must have been repeating a word she heard only in passing. "Shuh-cago?"

My eyes widened. "Chicago? We're going to Chicago?"

El shrugged her shoulders.

"Shuh-cago."

I took a deep breath, letting the information sink in as well as trying to tame the anxiety I knew was soon coming to settle in.

"Um, okay..." I sighed, my eyes falling to my lap and I noticed my leg has begun to bounce. "Well, are you sure? Is that what you heard, or maybe saw in the background somewhere?"

El nodded. I nodded as well, thinking about the road ahead.

"So you really think she'll help huh?" I ask.

She gives me a weak, but reassuring smile and soft squeezes my hand. "Yes."

I smile gratefully, but we fall into silence quickly after.

The familiar feeling bubbled up in my stomach again, though it is much more intense. Sure I had anxieties about leaving with El, but this succeeded that. At least I had the small chance of not getting caught, that I'd be back the next night and it could all be explained away by being at the Byers house. But this was quickly spiraling. This had already spiraled, and I was beginning to feel sick to my stomach with nerves. The moment the chief got her message than it was only a matter of time before my mom was notified, and oh no...

According to Dustin, she's going to the ends of the earth just to find Mews, I can't imagine the stress she'll inevitably be under when she finds out that some woman across town filed a report about me and it certainly doesn't help that I'm on a bus to Chicago.

I try to remind myself to take deep breaths, the last thing I need is my anxiety itself spiraling into something destructive. I still need to learn how to control my powers, though I'm a bit upset with myself for saying everything's okay when it's not.

I always had a problem with that. And yet, even though I meant what I had said to El about finding out where I came from, part of me is upset with myself for letting it go. Maybe I did it cause I felt bad for El, and she seemed sorry and she was in trouble. But then again, I was in trouble now too. Part of me is hoping Chicago is a dead end, and while I feel awful for feeling that way, I do. I find myself longing to be with Will again. The old Will. He always had a knack for knowing when I wasn't okay.

He always made me feel validated when I was upset, and he listened and then he'd do anything to get me to smile. But for now, I had to keep these thoughts to myself, for as long as I can at least though I don't know how long I'll last.

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

I don't realize I have drifted off until I feel a tap on my shoulder. I blink away the sleep to the best of my ability and I find El gesturing towards the isle. Once again, I close my jacket tightly around my torso, the cold air reaching my neck and nipping at my ears. We had spilled out onto the busy streets among the several people leaving the bus with us. I looked around in an odd mix of awe and fear. Mom was never a city dweller, and the last big trip she took she came home with a daughter. So apart from programs on TV, this was the first I was seeing a big city.

El seemed to be experiencing it too, but my awe was quickly smothered when my eye level returned to the ground. We were lost in a sea of strange people, nobody seemed to know anyone and they all seemed angry.

I tried to remind myself of the things El told me earlier today.

"Y/n, we can defend ourselves, remember?"

She did have point, but then again if we were put in a situation where we were forced to use them, all the closer we going were to being caught. I look to El, to gauge her reaction and I find she's still very much lost in the towering city skyline and she a genuine smile on her face. For a moment I wish I can enjoy it as she does, but I am still in sweatpants and a tee shirt and I haven't the faintest idea when or if we'll find exactly where we're going.

Eagerly, she starts walking down the streets and I follow her. I'm thankful I was able to retrieve my shoes and jacket, but I still can't seem to drag my thoughts away from the fact that my teeth are chattering once more. The words I spoke earlier today pop into my mind only to mock me, "I guess I kept myself warm,". Another reason to learn how to control my powers, it sure wouldn't hurt-

I'm jolted from my thoughts when I feel a strong force struck my shoulder. I tumble back slightly, quickly catching my footing but my heart still spikes. I whirl around to see a large, glowering man sneer over his shoulder at me as retreats.

"Watch it, kid."

This time I fiddle with my jacket as an excuse to keep my hands busy, my heat creeping up in my chest as my tempter rises. I return my attention to El and our walk when I find her glaring at him. And if looks could kill - which hers quite easily could - he would be six feet under.

"Mouth-breather," She says menacingly, her eye line falls slightly and I panic.

I turn just in time to see the man stumble forward onto the concrete. Angrily, he sits up, looking around frantically and glaring at anyone who laughed at him. All worry washed away when I could barely make out the string of curses directed at his shoelaces as he hotly tied them.

El looked to me, suppressing a smile and she had a wildly mischievous look in her eye.

I felt myself crack a smile and my anger slowly melted away.

Okay, that was pretty funny.

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

If I thought I was cold before, I was dead wrong. We've been walking for two hours, my feet are killing me and my sweatpants are clinging to my legs. About half an hour ago, a truck drove through a puddle and I caught the tail end of the splash when we hooked around a corner. To pass the time, I've been trying to dry them subtly with my hands against my legs, but it didn't get me very far, even with El's tips. I finally gave it a rest after a while, I wasn't getting very far and I didn't want to risk draining myself if the walk was much longer.

By now I've grown used to the odd and wandering looks we've gathered, especially me given my state. But the tension crept back in when El lead us down an incredibly questionable alley. We were definitely in the riskier parts of the city though I tried to hold my tongue and save questions until later. My instincts told me I needed to appear more confident than I was than I'd have at least a sliver less of a chance of being a target. El seemed to hold up that exterior, though even her confidence was waning slightly.

We were surrounded by many sluggish people, milling about one another and the alley was lit up by fire pits in steel barrels. The stench was horrid, it wreaked of booze, cigarettes, and urine. Subconsciously, El and I grew closer I realize cause I feel the ends of her hairbrush against me when I flinch back.

A frightening, cackling man had stepped towards my face as we walked by.

"They're dead. They're all dead!"

His hyena-like laughter bounces off the cement walls and echoes in my ears. I can practically taste his awful breath and I duck my head down avoiding eye contact as I pull El along forward with me.

I can sense her eagerness to leave the alley and hands still clenched tight, we broke out into a small jog and out of sight. We didn't stop until we reached what looked to be an abandoned underpass. Graffiti littered every wall, and we emerged from the darkened space to find an old warehouse. Like the underpass, there wasn't a wall that wasn't painted with spray paint and neon color and El stopped suddenly.

I glanced ahead of me at the building, the small door supplied with only one window that flickered with yellow light, and back at El, searching her eyes.

"El, is this it?" I ask.

"Yes."

She sets off towards the building and I quickly follow behind, attempting to prepare myself whatever we might find. Inside is not much different to the exterior, boxes, crates, barrels, and planks littered the interior and it was harder to find a surface that wasn't covered in graffiti. The entrance we stood in was part of a small alcove, and it was clear the further you stepped inside the ceiling extended. But what caught my eye were the four people huddled around another makeshift firepit.

One girl, who was perched on several cushions and lighting a cigarette began to giggle teasingly.

"You should do stand-up, Axe. There's a spot a few blocks away."

The group chuckled, and a tall lanky man with a large mohawk unlike anything I've seen before rolled his eyes with a smirk. Among them, a rather large and beefy man, who clearly seemed to be the muscle, and another young woman in cuffed jeans, gloves and a dark green flannel.

El called out to them and I panicked, though logically I knew we needed make ourselves known regardless.

"Hello?"

The group stopped and turned, their faces illuminated by the fire gifting to them a very chilling tone.

A sickening smirk curled along the tall lanky man, and he struts around the fire towards us.

"Well, well... What do we have here?"

The others rose from their spot and I looked anxiously between El and the others, though I somehow managed to keep a still face.

The others began stalking towards us and I could feel my heart rate pick up. The woman in the green jacket scoffed, looking us up and down and it seemed she couldn't tell which of us looked, stranger.

"What are those, overalls?" She asked finally.

The other young woman had stalked around us and she stopped at me. I tensed and she looked me up and down before jabbing a finger in my shoulder and nudging me roughly.

"And get a load of this one," she squeaked, blowing smoke into my face.

I coughed, swiping it away and they all laughed. She turned to me and faked a pout.

"What's the matter girlies? Thought your little slumber party could use a fun little adventure, in the big city, huh?"

The others chuckled softly, and I stifled an eye roll. Her mocking tone fell into a serious one shortly after.

"Well, you ain't gonna find it here, go on back to the farm now."

"We're looking for my sister."

My eyes flickered to El in surprise, but they quickly returned to the group. Once again, not wanting to give away too much but I do have to applaud El's quick thinking.

"Aw..." Cooed the man with mohawk mockingly. "Shirley Temple lost her sister. So sad."

"I saw her. Here."

She reached into her bag and pulls out the photograph from Becky's.

"Uh-uh," The large man said suddenly. "Hand out of your pocket. Slow."

El complied and the lanky man ripped the photograph from her hand.

"Give me that shit."

For the first time, he hesitated, shocked and caught off-guard and the woman in green stepped forward when she caught a glimpse. She ripped it from his grasp, just as he had done previously and gaped.

"Is that Kali?"

"Kali?" El asked.

Mohawk stepped forward, growing tense and took advantage of his height and towered over El, zeroing in on her. I tensed but I never left her side.

"How did you find us? Who else knows you're here?"

El backed up slightly and I spoke up urgently.

"No one knows we're here."

"And no one asked you, shithead." My face soured and he returned to El. "Is this true Shirley Temple? So, what then? Poof! You just show up like magic with that picture?"

"Stay calm." The woman in green warned. "They're just kids, alright?"

He turned on her quickly, snapping at her.

"Some kids that could get us all killed."

He returned his attention to El and pulled something from his pocket. My eyes fell to the object in his hand and I was as certain my eyes were wide as saucers as sure as I was that everyone could hear my heart thumping against my ribcage.

"If I have to ask again, Shirley, you'll start losing things." He unsheathed his knife and began pointing it at El's face. "Starting with those pretty little locks of yours. Yeah?"

I looked desperately between the man and his companions, each of them seemed uncomfortable with his actions in varying degrees. The woman in green stepped forward, extending her arm.

"Come on, Axe. Put down the knife." She warned.

The blade grew closer towards her face and he only grew angrier.

"How did you find us?"

"I saw her." She said, her voice came out rushed and shakey not that I blamed her.

He advanced further, the knife growing closer to her face and everyone's voices began to drown in the deafening roar of blood pumping in my ears. He was beside me now as El kept backing away.

"That's not an answer!" He roars.

"Axe!"

I throw aside my common sense and step towards them. Before anything can happen, he freezes and begins examining his hand frightfully. He steps backward, his blade-wielding arm extended as far away from his face and torso as possible and his breath becomes shaky as he speaks.

"Jesus. Jesus Christ!" He huffs.

He chucks the knife on the concrete behind us, the blade nearly nicking my legs. He looks up and down his torso, and his face goes pale. He frantically swipes at himself, several squeals of fear elicit from him and El and I share a confused look.

"Get off! Shit!"

He is running across the room, hunched over, and desperately swatting at his head, face and arms deranged. I have to step back to avoid his path as he maneuvers around me and his companions have to do the same.

"You're a terrible dancer, Axel."

Everyone including myself turns our heads towards the source of the British voice. On the stairs, leaning on the banister with a sly smirk was another young girl. Half of her head was shaved, the other half was tinted purple and like the others, she dressed in grunge, but oddly they didn't seem shabby or cheap.

The guy named Axel relaxed, only for a moment before it evolved into anger. He smacked his head angrily and gestured towards her as she came down the steps.

"I told you, Kali, stay out of my head." He spits.

"So we're threatening little girls now, are we?" She asks, striding towards us.

"They know about you." Axel defends.

The girl with the bow, the one mocked me, stepped forward with the photo El had and gestured to her.

"Farmgirl here had this."

The new girl, the one I can only assume to be the one we were looking for, grabbed the photo. She seemed to be hiding her shock, and El cautiously approaches her. She eyes El up and down suspiciously, her gaze flickering past her to me on occasion.

"Where did you get this?"

"Mama," El answers, taking the photograph back and placing it in her bag.

"Your mother gave this to you?"

"In her dream circle," El says.

I raise my brow, and as I suspect the others don't take to it, or her very easily.

"Dream circle," Axel scoffs, pacing the room. "I think she's a schizo or something."

I gape at him, unable to stop myself but he doesn't see me. I desperately want to say something but I know I have to be careful less I start something.

"Says she's looking for her sister."

"Yeah. Like I said, schizo."

I take a deep breath, clenching my fists. I'm reminded of the first night we met El. When we both overheard the boys saying those awful things about her. That she was from the nuthouse. It angers me that so many people out there are so quick to judge people they don't automatically understand. My glare follows him across the room and as he bends to pick up his knife. I smirk when I see the knife fly through the air and into El's waiting hand.

Mumbles of surprise bounce around the group, but I simply watch as El confidently folds the knife and hands it to the girl.

"I saw you. In the rainbow room."

Something in the girl's eye changes, she begins to stalk around El before she stops halfway to stand beside her.

"What is your name?"

"Jane."

I can't say I was expecting that, but yet I wait. I concentrate my energy on keeping my jaw clenched. I've been fighting my chattering teeth ever since we entered and the muscles in my jaw have grown weak. But in a weird way, I begin to forget it's there as I watch what is unfolding before me.

Kali grabs El's left wrist and pushes back her sleeve to reveal her tattoo. El reaches for Kali's left wrist and they compare before sharing a chilling look. El's eyes grow cloudy and I can her lips trembling.

"Sister." She whispers.

"Sister," Kali says.

The two embrace in a tearful hug I grow uncomfortable where I stand. I tuck my arms in further where they have been fused against my chest, and I shift on my feet my tempter growing short. I don't understand why I feel this way but I do. I want to be happy for El, but something feels off. Maybe I'm jealous because I thought me and El were close, she was the first real female friend I had and we both came from the same place. But I guess she found that with someone else. I never really was from there, not that I wish I was but at least I could someone to lean on with having powers.

And yet, that didn't seem to be what bothered me most. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but I can't help but feel like things are only going to get more slippery.

Before I can dwell on it more, they break apart and Kali takes El's hands in her own giving them a squeeze before releasing. The two smile at one another and my eyes fall to my feet. The ends of my sweatpants are still soaked I can feel the water in my shoes. And yet the most chilling thing I felt at that moment was Kali's eyes on me.

"Jane, who is this?" She asks.

"Y/n. My friend."

I break my gaze away from my shoes and I give her a small wave, forcing a smile.

"Hi," I mumble, trembling.

She looks me up and down, her suspicious gaze creeping back up in her eyes. Her intimidation faltered when she allowed herself to register my odd outfit. The question seemed to have a bigger demand than her previous one, and she seems to dismiss a thought.

"Why are you in pajamas?"

"Long story," I mutter, my teeth chattering once more. "We had to up and leave unexpectedly and I didn't get a chance to change or grab any spare clothes."

Her brows furrowed suspiciously, and for a moment I worry. I can feel myself squirm under intimating gaze but then I feel a wave of relief when I see her crack a smile. She chuckles and looks to the tall woman in the green jacket.

"Funshine, take her upstairs and help her find some warm clothes. I'm gonna talk to Jane. Alone."

Her eyes fall on me, her amusement fizzled out into what I could have sworn looked like a warning glare as she spoke the last word. My eyes fall to El and she smiles happily at me, before looking excitedly to Kali unaware of the cold shoulder Kali was giving me. I tense, not wanting to be separated from El, but I try and comfort myself in the fact that Kali does seem to genuinely care for El. Though that was just as worrisome.

The larger man nodded, stepping forward and gestured to me. I looked to him surprised, my eyes flickering to Kali and she smiles.

"Don't worry, he's nothing but a big softie," Kali says, turning and leaving with El.

I look back at the man and he smiles warmly, I can feel myself relax and I even find myself smiling back at him.

"Don't worry, we'll get you some nice warm clothes."

Reluctantly, I follow. We walk side by side, falling in line behind El and Kali though they disappear around the corner and Funshine directs me to one of the makeshift bedrooms. My eyes fall to the fire pit in the corner and I eye it longingly. He gestures towards it and ushers me along.

"Go ahead, wait but the fire. I'll be right back with some warm clothes." He says, heading through the doorway.

I smile shyly, eagerly gravitating towards the fire.

"Thanks."

He left through the door and disappeared around the corner, and I stifled a smile. I could feel the heat washing over my body and I felt myself relax in the slightest. I only wish there was a faster way to dry my legs but before much longer, Funshine returns. He glides across the room with some clothes in his hands.

"Here, I gathered around stuff that I thought would fit you best." He tosses them on the bed next to me and begins to walk out. "I'll let you change."

Eagerly, I pick up the clothes and I watch him retreat. Out of the whole bunch, and my brief encounter with them, I trusted him the most and I couldn't hold my tongue any longer.

"Hey," I call out, growing nervous.

He stops suddenly, and turns around, giving me a curious look.

"Thank you," I mumble, smiling. "For the clothes."

Another friendly smile stretches across his face and once again he nods.

"You're certainly welcome."


	28. The Lost Sister - P3

||Reader's POV||

I stare at my reflection studiously. I now stood in a pair of baggy ripped jeans for someone at least a foot taller than me - though I dread to think what the clothes that didn't fit me looked like. I had to cuff them at the ankle as well as hike them around my wrist - thankfully Funshine had supplied a belt. He had also given me three shirts which had confused me at first, but I realize it was a good thing. Given how cold it was, it was wise to dress in layers. Funshine had given me a long white shirt, and an old and faded Rolling Stones tee shirt to go over it. As an added layer, a red flannel that hung over the tucked-in shirts.

I wasn't quite used to this style, but I have to say, I do kinda like it. Mom always bought our clothes, and while she did support us branching out and trying different things she always found a way around getting stuff like this. It didn't look half bad, and it was certainly warm.

Sighing, I look around the room. Besides the fire pit where my clothes are sitting nearby to dry, the room is lit by a giant sign for some sort of psychic.

Ironic.

I can hear bickering and mixed laughter downstairs, and I wander out to the balcony unsure of what I'm supposed to do now. I step back out of view, not wanting to get caught and I begin looking around. I see another stairway, and streaming through the top is a small pale gray of light. Hesitantly, I climb towards it, careful to keep my footing light.

I can hear cars passing outside as I approach the corner at the top of the stairs and I can feel a cool breeze. Cautiously, I turn the corner and I see a door labeled, ROOF ACCESS sitting ajar propped open by a brick. I catch a brief glimpse of Kali talking to El, and I realize if I can see her she could easily see me. Slowly, I readjust myself around the corner when I catch the words she speaks to El.

"What you can do is incredible. It makes you very special, Jane."

I stop, unable to make myself move and against my better judgment I stay to listen. I have to strain to hear El's soft-spoken words, but I hear them.

"Wait," she says. "Do you have a gift?"

"Different," she says. "I can make people see, or not see, whatever I choose."

I frown, my mind conjuring thousands of possibilities and weaving intricate webs that feed my anxiety.

"Is that why you made the man with the crazy hair dance?" El asks.

"Axel is not so fond of spiders, so..."

"You made him see spiders?"

There was a moment of silence, but soon enough I hear voices again.

"But it doesn't have to be scary," Kali says. "This butterfly, it isn't real. I've just convinced your mind it is. Think of it as a kind of magic."

Curiosity gets the best of me, and slowly I peek around the corner. I see Kali and El staring into up into the air, and El even swipes a hand above her head. It's a strange sight, but I know she is seeing something I am not. And that frightens me, what a dangerous power to have. Kali swipes at the air, her clenched fist retracts and her palm slowly opens revealing nothing.

I return my back against the wall when I hear El speak again.

"Are you real?"

"Yes, I'm real."

There is another silence, and it is broken moments later when I hear them break into giggles. I feel my heart clench and I sigh inwardly, ready to return to my room. But something stops me.

"Jane, you told me that your friend came here to help you, right?"

I freeze, my feet rooted in place.

"Yes."

She waits for a moment, then speaks slowly. Her voice has grown serious once more, and the tone she has when speaking about me to El rubs me the wrong way. It's like she's putting words in El's mouth.

"Something tells me there is more that story. That's an awful long way to come for a friend."

"She's like us. She has a gift."

"Really?" Kali says. "But I thought she grew up with those boys you spoke of? The ones that helped you."

"She did. But she came from the lab. She would have been called Nine."

This pause was the most damning and by far the most deafening. I could practically see the look on her face without having to turn the corner and I tried desperately to calm my heart. Again, I knew there was no logic behind this anxiety, but I did trust the feeling completely.

I didn't know what to do, or what to think and the pause must have been significant enough for El to speak up.

"What's wrong?" El asked.

I heard Kali sigh, and she proceeded to take several harsh breaths and she spoke very slowly to El.

"Was her mother [y/m/n]?"

"Yes," El said, a hint of surprise.

"Jane, do you realize just how much she has affected our lives?"

"No?"

"You say you don't remember our time together, no?" Kali asks slowly. "Well, things were a little different before the missing experiment."

"How?"

"You see, back in the rainbow room, we got to play. You say you saw this? We weren't as isolated or kept apart. But when she went missing, our lives got a whole lot harder."

"The room..." El said, her voice cracking.

"Yes, Jane, the room. I remember it too. These men that took us, took our lives, they grew very mad and very frightened when your friend escaped, and they took it out on us. The lab was never a good place, but at least we had our sanity, but they took that away too when she left."

"I remember when we went into lockdown, men stormed my room and ripped me from my toys. I was thrown in the room and I didn't come out for another day and a half. I was relocated every night, for four nights in a row. And I never saw you again, until now."

"What... are you saying?"

"Jane, let me put it this way. Does it not bother you that not only did your friend get a better life than us, but our lives were made worse because of it?"

"Well, yes. But it wasn't her fault. It was her mothers." El said confused.

I smiled.

"Maybe so, but think about it. Do you really think this friend of yours truly understands what we go through? What you go through, every day? She does not have the memories we do, she does not know the life we have lived, the bad times. She has grown up in a nice home, with a loving family. She does not understand our pain. So do you really think she could understand us?"

This time, El didn't say anything. Once again, I was wrong before. This silence was more deafening and far more damning. I felt the anger return, boiling up in my chest.

"And that is why I want you to stay. Don't you see? This could be your home, you said it yourself, we're sisters. I can teach you how to harness your anger, and strengthen your gift. We'll look after each other. We understand each other. Y/n will never understand you. But I do. Would you like that, Jane?"

Never in a million years would I expect El go side with her, but she did and I could feel my heart break into two.

"Home."

Hot anger rises to my cheeks, and I feel the heat radiating off my face. Hotly, I turn on my heel and trudge down the steps, not caring if I'm heard and I think of returning to the room but decide against it. Instead, I stomp downstairs and past the group drawing several curious glances. I ignore their comments and I rip the door open and run outside. I run and run and run, never ceasing until my lungs tire. I stop and look around, panting and I find myself in an abandoned train yard.

I try to calm my racing thoughts but they only grow stronger and faster, buzzing around my head like a swarm of hornets. I every needle of anger I felt in the past year pricking my nerves and push me to the edge, I feel every bruise anyone has ever inflicted upon me with every dagger thrown my way.

I collapse on my knees, wailing, finally allowing every feeling, every emotion I have had to repress come back with a vengeance. Head in my knees, my palms pound against the pavement and I feel a huge rush of adrenaline and relief. The wind carries my hair as I scream and I feel a gush of warm air. My hands find their way through my hair and my fingers claw at my scalp. I feel my jeans grow wet but I know it is only from my tears this time, and I take several deep breaths. 

Sobs still wracked my body and it is a long while before I finally pull my head up from legs. My eyes are puffy, but I am still able to see the large cracks traveling along the pavement around me.

I look around myself in wonder, the once smooth pavement beneath me had cracked and split into several veins and tendrils spiking. I hadn't even noticed, the ground below me had shifted and quickly stumbled to my feet. Right where I had been sitting the pavement had caved in between the two breaking points where my palms had made the fracture. I looked on in amazement at what I accidentally have done.

Logically, I know I caused this. 

I choke back a defeated laugh, but then I allow it to happen. For the first time, I feel truly myself. Kali was right, I don't belong here. But I don't want to belong here.

I have no reason to stay. I could help Will like I said I was doing in the first place. I could go home. And I will. There's no decision, no should I stay or should I go. El could stay if she wanted, but I'm going to go. 

I'm going home.

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

By the time I reach the warehouse, my anger has grown tepid. But my mind is still made up. I'm leaving, tomorrow, first thing. But that didn't mean I couldn't still try to talk to El. When I enter the warehouse, I'm relieved I don't have the same worries as last. The downstairs is empty now but I dismiss the thought, heading up the stairs.

"Ole McDonald had a farm! E-I-E-I-O!"

I turn when I hear the family tune echo from around the corner.

What in the actual hell?

Then I remember their nickname for El and I roll my eyes. Of course, they want her in and abuse her powers but they won't treat her with any respect. I hear a slam that stops the singing and once again I find myself overhearing Kali's words.

"She found me with only this."

"What's that mean?" I recognized the voice as the woman who stepped up to Axel, the woman in green.

"It means she can find people without moving. With nothing but an image."

"You telling me Shirley's a human radar detector or some shit?" Axel asked.

"Or some shit, yes."

"Come on, no way."

"We'll find out soon enough," Kali said. "I want to do one. Tomorrow."

My brows furrowed. What the hell where are they talking about? Whatever it was didn't sound good and they clearly wanted to use El for her powers. "Sister" my ass.

"You serious, Kal?" Axel asked, his voice rising.

"We're way too hot right now." The woman warned.

Another voice joined in, the crazy looking girl who mocked me.

"Paranoid." She said, in a sing-song voice.

"Realistic." The woman corrected. "You don't kill their men and expect them to look the other way."

My eyes widen.

So that's what they're doing. They're going around killing the bad men. Yeah, they're bad men, they're terrible people who've done terrible things but this is not the solution.

"If they find us, they will unleash hell." She finished.

"So we give in to fear?" Kali snapped back. "She's in pain. She needs this. We go out tomorrow."

I heard footsteps approach and I freeze, unable to move without being seen. Much to my relief Axel falls after Kali and the footsteps pause.

"Kali!"

"What?"

I take advantage of her diverted attention and I cross the hallway before she can see me.

"What about that pesky tag-along friend of hers, what about her?"

"I have no use for her. She's not to be trusted, I want her gone by morning."

The footsteps continued and quickly I slipped into the room I had been shown. It seems El was there too, she lay in the bed on one side, nuzzled up under a bright orange blanket. I slowly step inside and all the words I had prepared to say evaporated when I saw El. She looked so comfortable, and by now she was fast asleep. I was still very upset with her, but I knew if I woke her, and told her everything, things would only end on a bad note.

Maybe I could talk to her in the morning. Obviously, I have to wake up extra early anyway to leave before they could get rid of me. Sighing, I slipped off my shoes setting them the dim fire pit and trudged to the other side of the bed. I sat on the edge, sighing greatly as I put my head in my hands. I sit like this for a moment, collecting my thoughts before I discard a few of my layers. Slowly as not to wake El, I lay myself down on the opposite side, and nuzzle myself under the covers. I don't realize how tired I am until my head hits the pillow and right as my eyes flutter closed I am awakened.

"Y/n?"

My eyes open, and I see El looking at me from where she lays.

My stomach twists in knots knowing the moment can no longer be avoided. I'd have to tell her.

"Hi, El." I croak.

I can feel a lump forming in my throat, knowing what is about to unfold. Not wanting to dread it a moment longer, I take a deep breath and rip off the bandaid.

"El, are you staying here?"

She seems taken aback, her eyebrows furrow and she gives me a curious look. It quickly morphs into sadness and she nods

"Yes." She says. "How did you know?"

"I heard."

"Oh." Is all she says.

I take another deep breath, trying to keep my emotions intact.

"But are you sure you trust Kali? I mean, we hardly know her and I'm just not so sure about all this."

Her eyebrows twitch, and I can sense a flicker of anger.

"She's my sister." She says slowly, her voice begins to harden.

This causes my own brows to flicker, and I try to hide my offense.

"And I'm your best friend, I'm only trying to look out for you. I just think maybe you should think this through."

I think about the words that Kali said about me, not only to El but the words El didn't hear.

"Get rid of her."

"She cares about me. I'm her missing piece. She said so. And she is mine." El spits.

"What? El, please. Just hear me out-"

"It's Jane."

I don't attempt to stop myself from recoiling, I look at her in disbelief.

"Okay, I'm sorry. Jane. But seriously, hear me out, please! You didn't hear the things she was just planning. The things she just said to her friends out there, you don't understand-"

"No, Y/n." She shot, cutting me off. "You don't understand me."

I gape at her, unable to fathom the person she has morphed into in so little time. I laugh dryly, looking at her distastefully.

"I guess you're right, Jane. I don't understand you. Not anymore. I came here to tell you that I'm leaving by the way, on my own choice. Not because I overheard them say they're going to get rid of me, so I won't be here when you wake up so no worries there. I'll even say hi to Mike when I get home. Goodnight," I spit, rolling over on my side my back facing her.

My words don't ease the bubbling anger in my chest and before incantations stop myself I feel it boil over.

"Some friend you are," I huff under breath.

I don't hear another word from her, all I hear is several huffs and the rustling of the sheets. Once again my head is buzzing, but rather than dwell on the angering thoughts, this time I allow sleep to take me.

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

I stir awake for what feels like the billionth time. And although I remember waking several times throughout the night, my stuff joints tell me I slept deeply. The details of last night come flooding back all too quickly and I sigh inwardly, my heart breaking all over again. Finally, I angle my wrist to glance at my watch, the time read six twenty-five. I might as well get moving. I remind myself of the words exchanged last night and that is enough to motivate me.

I slip out of bed, gracelessly but also noiseless and I'm quick to put on my shoes. Perks to sleeping in my new clothes, I didn't have to waste time getting dressed but I was awfully chilly. Thankfully my jacket managed to stay bone dry, and I am able to make sure all my actions are muted as to not draw attention. Thankfully, I hear limited signs of life throughout the warehouse apart from some occasional shuffling which I assume is from Mick, who always seems to be on the watch.

I plan my escape in my head when I realize, I needed money for the bus. My eyes flicker to El's sleeping form and down at her bag. With hushed steps, I reach the end of the bed and kneel down and carefully unzip it. My hand extends further into the bag, my eyes trained on El in case she wakes and I remind myself she planned on staying anyway. She'd have no use for bus money and sure enough, my fingers catch the dog eared corner of the paper.

My brows crease when I realize it's a lot thicker than I expected. I dig deeper, my other hand falling to prop open the stiff bag as I peer inside curiously and my fingers retract with something completely unexpected in my grip. Peculiarly enough, I find a manilla folder. I turn it over, and in an instant, I feel my mouth run dry when I see the three words etched out across the front in messing handwriting.

THE MISSING EXPERIMENT

It can't be. She wouldn't.

Numbly, I open the folder. Dozens of papers and news clippings spill out one by one and I look on in shock. Several species are annotated in pen, several notes have been taken by several different people and the feeling it leaves me with sickens me.

All my life I wondered where I came from, all my life I've been a giant question mark. So many loose threads, and unanswered questions and yet all these people had this information. By the looks of it, it's been passed down. And even El had it. My eyes find her once more but this time I look at her in disgust.

How could she keep this from me? This whole time, I'd been there to help her, and she said she was here to help me. Then why hide this?

My eyes fall back to the remaining sheets around me and I'm pulled in before I can stop. The first thing I note is an older looking file, it looks to be typed up and looks by far the oldest. It read,

Subject 009; UNTESTED

Date of Birth: TBD  
Sex: TBD  
Mother: Y/M/F/N  
Father: Unknown  
Attribute(s): increasing signs of abnormalities during pregnancy, affecting both mother and child such as drastic changes in temperature, signs of hypertension and hyperactivity. ADDITIONALLY, mother has recently begun showing signs of involuntary and unnatural physical resistance one can only describe as seismic bursts that we hypothesize is the fetus' defense mechanism.

My attention is ripped away when I hear scuffling from downstairs, and quickly I gather my thoughts. I force myself to shove this aside for a moment, and quickly I collect every stray piece of paper that had fallen within moments and return them to the folder. I thank anything and everything I can that my jacket has large inside pockets. Truthfully, the stitching ripped a few years back and expanded the length of the pocket, sure the folder would get a little bent but it would certainly do given I didn't have a bag.

I dig through El's bag once more and find the remaining money from last night's trip and I jump to my feet racing for the doorway. Out of habit, I turn to look at El one last time not knowing if I'll ever see her again. But once again, the anger quickly replaces my somber feelings and makes it easier to leave. Keeping an eye out on the other room, I slip over to the stairs.

Mick was in the other room across the hall taking watch just as I had suspected, so there was no one waiting downstairs when I flew down the steps. I race for the door and with one last glance, I'm out the door in record time.

Like I'd never been there. They surely wouldn't know the difference.


	29. The Lost Sister - P4

A/n: lots of flashbacks my dudes, sorry. Kinda messy since it happens at the same time as the back to back moment with reader so apologies if it's funky.

||3rd Person POV||

"It's me."

The world is black, but the familiar voice rings out like a beacon in the void. She can't remember entering, so she wonders why she is here. In the distance, Jane can see the all too familiar wooden table and the ham radio that sits atop the adjoining stack of trunks. The tiny lamp that rests on the wooden table provides a soft homey light that blankets the otherwise dark and cold void.

"I know that I've been gone too long, and uh..." It's Hopper, her policeman. "I just want you to know that it's not because of you. And it's not because of our fight."

Jane finds herself being pulled towards the machine, the soft pitter-patter of her feet against the pool of water provides white noise other than Hopper's shaky voice echoing through the radio. It's garbled, and it has the usual static form the machine, but she can sense his emotion. The lump in his throat.

"Something came up, and, uh, I'll explain everything soon. I just, um... I want you to know that I'm not-- I'm not mad at you. I..."

She can feel a lump of her own forming in her throat as she waits for the words, they are almost here and she stands patiently. She is breathing heavily, trying not to cry and that is when the words come.

"I'm just sorry."

She feels a hand grab her shoulder and her eyes rip open.

"It's okay." Kali soothes. "It's only me."

Jane sighs, and sits up slightly.

"Bad dream?"

Jane only closes her eyes, trying to will away the sleep plaguing them. Her gaze wanders to the empty spot next to her, and she looks to Kali who caught her gaze.

"It seems your friend has left."

Jane only stews at the spot Y/n once was and huffs, before banishing her from her mind.

"What time is it?"

Kali smiles at her response.

"It's late. You slept well. Come. It's time you meet my friends. Properly this time."

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

Jane follows Kali eagerly throughout the warehouse, she had slept in her overalls and having gotten used to the temperature she had slipped on her jacket. She was being led to a new area she hadn't seen yet when the man with the crazy hair stepped into view with a small folded white box and two wooden sticks.

"We need more money, Kal," he says. "I can't keep eating this garbage."

"This is Axel," Kali states, leading into the room full of her friends.

"The spider hater?" Jane asks, eliciting several chuckles around the room.

"Yes," Kali says with a smile. "The spider hater."

She gestures to the crazy looking girl that with the large bow in her hair, she smiled as she twisted a lock of her oddly colored hair.

"This is Dottie, our newest. Like you, she just left home."

"You mean the loony bin." Axel shot, taking a swig from a white can.

"Mick," Kali gestures, to the woman in green with dark cloud-like hair. "our eyes, our protector."

She then looks to the large, seeming bald man with one long braid trailing from the back of his head. He smiles, stepping forward.

"This is Funshine, our warrior," Kali informs as Jane steps forward to greet him. "Don't let his size frighten you. Like I said, Fun's a teddy bear."

"Nice to meet you, Miss Jane." He says, holding out his hand.

Jane takes his hand, turning it over to find a blank wrist.

"If you're looking for a number, you won't find one," Kali informs, crossing over and taking a seat at the table.

"They're not like us," Jane says, in realization.

She releases the man's hand and goes to stand at the head of the table.

"No, not in that way." Kali answers. "But like us, they're outcasts."

"Outcasts?"

"Freaks," Axel says shortly.

Dottie scoffs. "Speak for yourself."

"Society left them behind, hurt them, discarded them," Kali explains.

Funshine speaks out, his voice is somber as he fiddles with his hands.

"We were dead, all of us. Kali saved us. Here," He pointed to his mind, and then to his heart. "And here."

"Don't get all mushy on us now, Fun."

"No, not mushy. True."

"Now we help her," Mick says.

Axel leans forward, his beer can in hand.

"In this life, kid, you roll over or you fight back."

"We're all fighters here." Mick finished.

"Fight who?" Jane asks, intrigued.

||Reader's POV||

I wince as the bus hits yet another bump, my head resting against the glass bumps against the windowpane once more. I tear my eyes away from the blurry green scenery of the trees we pass to check my watch for the umpteenth time, twelve twenty-five. We just left Illinois, but I still have a way to go. I'm thankful El still had money left over from Becky's, of course, I curse myself at the memory.

Mom is probably freaking out right now, I'm sure by now she's gotten word from chief Hopper. I don't what I'm going to do. I don't know how I'll possibly explain this.

Maybe I can say I was looking for Mews? No, that wouldn't work. For several reasons. I already told Dustin that I was at Will's and besides, I was reported as a possible runaway while on a secret trip with El. And no one was supposed to know about her.

Yeah, Mom's gonna flip.

And my fight with El keeps playing over and over in my mind, twisting my chest and stomach into uncomfortable knots. Everything about it left a sour taste on my tongue.

How could she say those things? How could she not see that I was looking out for her? Part of me wishes I could have just left in the middle of the night and never told her. Left without a word. Like she probably would have done to me.

The trees begin to slow, and an odd popping elicits from the back of the bus. It turns many heads including my own, and I spot the driver near the front. I see his face from the wide mirror overhead and it's clouded with worry and frustration.

Just as I feared, the bus grew slower and eventually pulled off to the side. Murmurs broke out all along the bus after the driver announces the issues with the bus. I wish I had taken a seat closer to the front as all the people around me have burst into angry complaints and I can't hear a word the driver is saying.

"Four hours? I need to get home to feed my dog!"

"My babysitter is off the clock soon, I can't wait that long!"

Four hours until we're back on the road? I can't wait that long either. I'm far too restless and I don't care if I have to walk. I am surprisingly restless given the amount I have exerted myself in the past twenty-four hours, and there is no way to tell if it is from some cleansing after effect or my fight with El but I need to move. I take a moment to kneel on my seat, and I glance out along the street studying my surroundings. Lucky for me, I recognize this spot, I'm not far from Becky's house. Which means I'm just on the edge of Hawkins.

I can walk that far.

And I'm fairly certain I wouldn't be able to afford a ride that went any further. Instead, I rose from my seat and slipped out the front. For all I know, it just might take me four hours to get home, but at least I'll be home by then.

||3rd Person POV||

Kali empties the box's contents onto the counter, dozens of badges, ID's and various records of previous or current employees at Hawkins Lab.

"Everyone you see here was in some way responsible for what happened to us," Kali informs, her team standing behind her.

Jane stands across the table from her, she picks a laminated card from the bunch to examine. She looks to her counterpart and raises a brow, her interest peaked.

"You hurt the bad men?"

Dottie makes a face, shaking her head.

"No," she says, sarcasm dripping from her voice. "We just give 'em a pat on the back."

[FLASHBACK]

A van screeches to a stop outside an undisclosed apartment building. Five masked figures exit the vehicle and storm the building. There is a knock on one apartment door, a confused man opens it only to be met with a bullet to the head.

[END OF FLASHBACK]

"You kill them?" Jane asks.

"They're criminals." Kali days simply, shrugging. "We simply make them pay for their crimes."

《•••》

Kali is seated in the passenger seat, her eyes closed and her hand raises to eye level. The van is racing at tops speeds as the police ride their tail as they enter a tunnel. With her full attention, and a sly smirk she whispers.

"Boom."

The cement ceiling of the tunnel explodes, debris falling and blocking the tunnel. The police cars swerve to miss the avalanche of rock.

《•••》

Jane examines the badge further, and it isn't until this has been explained does she realize the badge is sprinkled in splattered of blood.

"Damn, Shirley," says Axel teasingly. "What's the matter? You look like you've seen a ghost."

Jane tears her eyes away to glare at the spider hater with the crazy hair. She notices that each of Kali's companions are smirking at her in a similar matter. Dottie merely shifts her weight to one foot and tilts her head, speaking sluggishly.

"We can't all be fighters, I guess." She sighs.

"I'm a fighter." Jane corrects. "I've killed."

《•••》

The second man spared a second to look before turning to her to try and restrain her.

Before he could even step foot in the room, he was dead on the floor, his neck snapped. All with the flick of her head.

•••

El stands at attention, she gravitates towards the front protectively in front of her four friends. The bad men surrounding them freeze and she tilts her head, her attention laser-focused on each and every one of the soldiers. They begin to twitch and squirm, and as her nose begins to bleed so do their eyes. A horrible squelching sound echoes throughout the hallway as the lights flicker violently and they each drop like flies, blood pouring out of their eyes, nose, ears, and mouths. Eleven had squeezed their brains like grapes.

《•••》

"Did these men you killed," Kali asks. "did they deserve it?"

Jane nods confidently.

"They hurt me."

《•••》

Eleven struggles to break free from the men's hold as they carry her by her arms down, back into the room.

Sobs track her body as she uses all her strength to turn and look back at Papa.

"Papa!" He steps out into the hallway and remains standing, doing nothing to help her, yet she still calls for him.

《•••》

"And they still want to hurt you," Kali presses. "To hurt us. We're just making the first move."

Kali nods her head, gesturing to the doors.

"Come."

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

Kali and Jane break off from the others as Kali shows her outside. They walk for a short while, Jane once again finds herself taking in her surroundings as her friend explains. By now they had found themselves a great fair distance from the warehouse and they wander through a scrapyard of boxes, abandoned shelves, and steel shipment containers.

"I was just like you once," Kali says. "I kept my anger inside. I tried to hide from it, but then that pain festered."

"Festered?"

Kali comes to a stop and looks sadly to Jane unable to meet her eye immediately as she is forced to relive the memories.

"It spread. Until finally I confronted my pain, and I began to heal." She said, her voice growing excited before she continued on through the scrapyard.

Jane did not follow immediately, she almost felt stuck as those words echoed in her mind. She knew what Kali spoke of all too well.

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

Y/n ducks under yet another low hanging branch, her hand gently pushing it away. The pads of her heels had begun to sting but she presses on. Despite the long trek behind, and before her, she has yet to regret her decision to go on foot. Much to her great delight and surprise, she finds that she is not as tired as she typically might have been. Only minutes after her departure, when she was safely out of sight of the bus and its impatient passengers did she drift off into the woods where she would not be as easily seen.

And though she is hidden well within the trees, the wind manages to snake within the trunks and whips against her clothes and the exposed skin on her neck and hands. She feels the damp earth sink beneath her shoes and she is thankful her shoes were able to dry faster than her clothes - the one thing she successfully managed to dry with the aid of her abilities.

She realizes with a dry laugh that she has once again left without her clothes but she does not care anymore. Once again her mind drifts to her last conversation with El.

Jane, she reminds herself bitterly.

Y/n has given it much thought and she had admitted to herself she had assumed that El had used that name do draw less suspicion. It hadn't quite dawned on Y/n that she truly did want to assume that part of her identity and she feels a twinge of guilt. But she can't ignore the itch of it all, something nagging at her that something about that was off. It just didn't seem like the same person, but Y/n dismissed the thought and was able to admit to herself that she was in the wrong on that front.

But that didn't mean her feelings weren't still hurt. El- Jane, had completely tossed her aside the minute she laid eyes on Kali. Y/n could still hear - and see - that exchange all took well.

Sister.

It brought another pang of jealousy to her heart as she so desperately longed for such a connection. Y/n, of course, loved her bother and friends with all her heart, but her whole life she had longed for such an iron-clad bond with another girl. And she supposed she had that with Jane. But it seems it was one-sided.

Quickly, Y/n shakes the thought from her head. She was not partial to thinking about that night, that night had hurt her deeply and it would only exhaust her.

She focuses her eyes on the ground before her, watching her step as she navigates the uneven terrain hidden under layers fallen leaves when she noticed something. A very simple thing that would most likely go unnoticed by any other being, or even her if it were any other given moment. Y/n saw a flurry of leaves swept up in the wind, moving across the landscape like a wave crashing in the ocean. And much like many other times in her life, something so simple triggers a memory in her brain like a feeling triggers the memory of a forgotten dream.

The details, not only what it looked like but what it felt like, of the phenomenon of what she had experienced the night before. Not her fight with her friend, or the scary adventure that led her to the other side of Hawkins and all the way to Chicago, but the explosion in the old train yard. And while it had not quite been forgotten, merely set aside in the unfurling events of her split with Jane, remembering the event felt silly. What a catastrophic thing to have forgotten.

Perhaps it wouldn't be the worst idea to practice, she thought.

She was all alone after all, she was out of sight and far away enough from the road where she couldn't be caught. She knew not to strain herself of course, given the long walk ahead of her. But she was rather bored and she figured she'd never really get another opportunity like this. After all, she couldn't quite practice this in her room.

In the end, temptation - and boredom - won, and she gave a quick sweep of the area before she settled in one spot. Worried of the potential exhaustion she was in fact risking, she figured she could rest for ten or twenty minutes or so. This also allowed her feet a small break. She found a small gap in the trees, a long stretch of open space where she wouldn't risk a fire hazard on any of the tree trunks.

Y/n finds her focus driven on the path of damp leaves before her. Her hands outstretched and with all her might she pictures the path before her blown away into a small ditch in between the long stretching gap between the trees. The forest still smelled of rain and even the trunks around her were still a bit damp, though she did want to risk it. The wet sludge of fallen leaves before her was her goal and she planted her feet preparing herself.

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

Kali's heels hit the pavement as she jumps off the platform, Jane's sneaker-clad feet soon follow. Kali strides across the damp pavement and she turns to face the clearing as Jane joins her side.

"You see that train?" She asks, gesturing towards the large abandoned car.

"Yes."

"I want you to draw it towards us,"

Jane looks at Kali with unease, and Kalie gives her a sly smirk. Jane takes a breath but looks back at the train. She raises her hand, her mind focusing on the train and the surface around it. She can feel her mind strain and her hand trembles violently and all that comes to show for her efforts is the faint sound of metal creaking, and slight separation of the cart from its wheels.

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

The wind had died down but still few leaves moved under her control. The signature blur emits from Y/n's hand, it reminded her of heat reflecting off concrete on a hot summer day. She felt herself smiling over the feat, but it quickly died out as her ability did. It quickly fizzled out and she felt a great strain on her body, and she sighed collecting her breath.

Something wasn't right. This wasn't how it went.

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

"I can't," Jane pants, hands on her knees collecting her breath.

"Last night you told me you lifted a van once."

《•••》

Her vision locks onto the van barreling towards her and her friends, and she scowls. With one flick of her head, the van flies through the air and over their heads.

《•••》

"Yes."

"The bad men were trying to take you away again, and that made you angry."

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

Y/n's mind flips through her memories, every experience she has had with her powers and her mind lands on the scene from the night she always chose to forget. The night they almost took her.

《•••》

A violent scream erupted from the young girl's throat, a scream that pierced even her own ears and ripped her throat raw.

A powerful force of energy exploded off of Y/n swept across the hallway mowed down everyone, including the man holding who had been holding her hostage. Most of the men were knocked into the concrete walls and slid down to the floor unconscious, blood dripping from their heads.

Y/n landed on her knees, Eleven only about a foot away who had miraculously avoided the line of energy while on the ground.

Panting, she looks up to the man several feet away, laying on his back slowly coming to, and with all the remaining courage and energy she can muster, she slowly rises to her feet, breathing harder, her fists clenched and eyes filled with rage.

《•••》

Anger. Anger was the common factor of every incident she realizes suddenly. This had been the first time she had allowed herself to dwell on the memories of that night. Ever since it had been much too painful to revisit and she never bothered. And yet all this time she had wasted, trying to figure out her powers, figure out herself, and she had been ignoring the answer.

And for the first time, she thinks not of the people she's hurt. But the comes who have hurt her.

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

"Good. So, find that anger, focus on that, not the train, not its weight."

She raises her hand once more, and with a deep breath preparing herself for the task at hand. Not the boundaries she is preparing to test, but unlocking her heart and mind to the floodgates of bitter memories and untapped anger waiting to be unleashed.

"I want you to find something from your life. Something that angers you."

《•••》

The friend Y/n trusted most in the entire world, turned on her. Undeniable hatred and disgust in eyes instead of a loving gaze.

"Get out," Will seethes.

"What-?"

"I said, get out!" He hissed.

Y/n flinches at his tone, and backs away fighting tears and struggling to hide the hurt in her eyes.

"GET THE HELL OUT OF MY HOUSE!"

《•••》

"Now channel it."

The girl's hand trembles and the ground begins to shake as she unlocks this side of herself. the gates are opening, the gates to her full potential. She is strained but unwavering as she watches in glee as she moves the world around her.

"Dig deeper. Your whole life you've been lied to..."

《•••》

'THE MISSING EXPERIMENT'

Y/n gazed at the folder in shock, looking to her sleeping friend with fire in her eyes.

She had this with her the entire trip. And not once did she share it with her. Every file, every news clipping, every theory on her life that almost was. On her. And she was the last to see it.

《•••》

Anger rises to the surface, it is now all the girl can feel. At this moment in time, all she knows is white-hot rage and it is powerful enough to break the world. She is powerful enough.

"...imprisoned."

《•••》

Y/n loses the ability to speak when the man's eyes meet the agent holding her back. With one simple gesture, she is torn away from her brother and friends and straight into the man's clutches.

"What- what are you doing?" She cries, continuing to fight and kick against the steel hold. 

An overwhelming storm of panic and frustration takes over and she begins to hyperventilate.

Instinctively, she struggles to turn in the agent's grasp to meet her brother's anxious and fearful eye and cries out to him.

"Dustin? Dustin!" She shrieks.

Her brother's desperate calls for her break her heart, but it turns to fire when she hears the man's voice.

"Y/n, don't fight it. You belong with us. We are your true home. Come home to us, Nine"

《•••》

She can feel her jaw clench, her muscles tense as she focuses all her energy - all her anger on the target before her.

"The bad men took away your home, you're mother,"

《•••》

"She was pretty." She began, smiling sadly. "She had [h/l] [h/t] [h/c] hair. And [s/c] skin. She was [y/h]."

•••

"She disappeared... Bang" El said slowly, a saddened frown forming on her face. "Gone."

•••

"So, my mom? She's...?" Y/n took a deep breath and swallowed the lump in her throat and El nodded.

《•••》

Her whole body began to shake, a raw and forceful screaming tearing from her throat and piercing the cold autumn air. It was only a small fraction of her emotions, only a mere glimpse of a wild hurricane bursting forth from within her as her powers unleashed.

"They took everything from you."

《•••》

But then she saw it. The small, lifeless body. He was wearing the same red vest he wore on that night. She was speechless. Hot tears streaked down her cheeks and she forgot how to breathe. She collapsed into Lucas's arms, his own grip weak and shaky, and she buried her wet face in his shoulder. He wrapped an arm around her tightly, a lifeline of his own as he witnessed the horrible sight.

"It's Will. It's really Will." Lucas croaked, unable to speak above a harsh whisper.

Y/n felt tears fall on her head, telling her that Lucas had started crying as well.

The noise she made was incoherent. She let out a painful wail and tore herself away from Lucas's embrace when she gathered enough strength.

"Will? Will!" She cried. 

Lucas and Dustin pulled her back. She fought and screamed, her throat aching from the strain. All previous worries of being spotted were forgotten, wanting nothing more than to be by his side. She wanted to be with him. To see if it was really true. But she was too weak. Defeat set in and she went limp, collapsing onto the ground and hugged her knees. She buried her tear-stained cheeks in her knees and hid from the cruel world that took such a loving soul from her. She rocked back and forth trying desperately to convince herself that this was a nightmare.

•••

And it had been. Not even a week later had she learned his body was a fake. The bad men lied. To her. To his family. To everyone. They stole him away and they didn't care who they hurt.

《•••》

Blood dripped from her nose, spidery veins spread across her face and hands. The violent force of power overtook the world and her body but it felt fantastic. She felt truly free for the first time in her life.

"They stole your life, Jane"

The final and most forceful burst of anger comes forth, the final push she had been waiting for. The scream echoes and rings throughout the air long after she silences, and she collapses to the ground as exhaustion overtakes her.

She had done it.

Before her, a long deep trench stretches on for several feet. Y/n had uncovered not only the thick layer of damped leaves but several layers of earth creating a lengthy ditch where the earth had been carved. Raining down from the air were the discarded leaves raining down from the heavens like bright golden confetti celebrating her accomplishment. Y/n smiled despite her exhaustion, her hands on knees the palm of her hands still hot to the touch.

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

Jane collapses to her knees, gasping for breath and gazes at the train before her in disbelief. Distant cheers erupted in the distance and she looked to find Mick, Fusnshine, Dottie and Axel jumping, hooting and hollering.

"WAY TO GO JANE!"

She doesn't fight the smile that sneaks up on her and Kali kneels beside her, smirking.

"How do you feel?"

Jane nods, her smirk turning sly and confident.

"Good."


	30. The Lost Sister - P5

||3rd Person POV||

Jane is lead throughout the warehouse once her strength has returned, herself, Kali and the rest find themselves in a newer room that Jane has not yet seen. She and her sister come face to face with a wall decorated with photographs and documents of various people.

"These are the bad men, as you call them. The ones we believe are still alive. Do you know any?"

Jane's brown eyes sweep the wall, she is careful to take in every face studiously as she scans. Not a single photograph or document, no individual piece of parchment has gone unmarked. The words filter to the back of her brain as she soaks up the images, the only useful information to her. She finds no familiar faces, that is, until her eyes land on a folder news clipping of a bald man caucasian man. But she knew him as the four-fifty man.

The man in charge of hurting her mother. He did it. He hurt her mother, turned her into what she was today. Stuck.

"Him." Says Jane, taking the paper from the wall. "He hurt Mama."

"His name is Ray Caroll," Kali informs. "And he did more than hurt your mother."

[FLASHBACK]

The men step forward, the electrified weapon crackles as he whips it forward towards the cowering young girl. She knows what's coming, she knows the pain all too well.

[END OF FLASHBACK]

"The bad men like Ray, they about us. It's made hard to track. But maybe not anymore."

The anger returns once more and Jane crushes the paper in her hands in a fit of rage. The paper rolled tight in her hands, she now sits in the warehouse her new companions surrounding her as she searches. They watch studiously as she sits almost statuesque, and some begin to grow irritated by the white noise of the static but then she moves. Her face scrunches up into a tight scowl behind her blindfold and she rips the paper in half. She discards the cloth from her eyes and looks to Kali, nodding.

"Gramercy Apartments. Washington and Bethel." Dottie reads, the phonebook hanging lazily in her hands. "That's gotta be it. Right?"

Kali is seated above her at the table and reaches out, taking the phonebook from her waiting hands as sits criss-cross on the floor.

"'Linburn.' Where is that?" Kali asks, leaning back.

"About an hour east." Funshine answers.

"We don't even have a new ride," Mick argues worriedly.

Kali leans forward, a smirk on her features.

"So we swap plates. We have plates, right?"

Axel looks to her incredulously but nods anyway from where he is seated beside Jane. "Yeah..."

"It's risky," Mick adds, beginning to pace.

The sly smirk returns to Kali's lips as she looks to her friend. "Where's the fun if there's no risk?"

"We want to give my sister a memorable first day, right?" She asks, a gleaming look in her eye as she looks to Jane.

"I'm in," Funshine quips, a kind smile directed at the girl. "For Miss Jane."

Jane smiles, and Axel sighs exasperatedly as he waves his beer can in the air exaggeratingly.

"Yeah, sure. Why not? Mick?"

Every eye falls to the woman and she sighs at the sky, shaking her head despite the ends of her lips curling into a smile. She looks to her friends and throws her arms in the air.

"Screw it!"

The group disperses into an organized flurry and Jane finds herself stranded in the middle, unsure of what to do. Though she finds relief when Kali sneaks behind her and gives her a smile and a reassuring squeeze of her shoulders. All around her, the gang prepares. Mick and Dottie wait as Funshine and Axel empty the safe, cocking their guns and checking ammo.

Kali drags Jane back upstairs to the room, for the final touch. Jane sits in the desk chair, albeit a bit confused as Dottie stands over her gauging her color as Kali plucks a dark blazer and shirt from the masses. Jane waits patiently as prods around her head, floating her hair back and adding a strange powder to her eyes and lips.

Finally, the rest of the gang is called up to the room once she is changed and ready, Dottie spins the desk chair and she revealed to as the newest member of their group. They gaze at her awe and there are several gaps and nods of approval.

Dottie folds her arm in as she leans against the wall, observing her work and she nods with a confident smile.

"Bitchin'."

"Bitchin'." Jane agrees.

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

The gang steps out into the sun with great stride, their newest member decorated proudly, her head held high. Like her friend before her, she wears cuffed jeans and black tee. A wool blazer hangs on her body, the sleeves pushed to her elbows but she is comfortable. Happy. Bitchin. Unsheathing the van from the tarp, they waste no time in piling into their "new ride". The can takes off, weaving through the twisted corners and alleyways and even blow past a bust, drawing a wandering eye from a suspicious officer.

The van hits the open road, Mick in the front seat and the others piled into the back. She takes a puff from her cigarette, one hand on the wheel and spares a glance to Axel in the passenger seat and blows a puff of smoke in his face. The music sounds in their ears and he sits bouncing in his seat, banging his head to the music.

In the back, Dottie plays a rhythm in the table as she hangs her head, Funshine nodding along next to her with a smile. Kali digs through the pile of masks, holding out different options for Jane before eventually losing herself in the music. Her head begins to move with the rhythm of the music, her purple hair flying all around her and Jane watches. She smiles in awe, a warmth spreading in her chest, finally feeling a sense of belonging and she allows her own head to sway to the music losing herself in the moment.

Times passes and much to Jane's disappointment the moment ends. The van pulls off the road at George's Gas n' Go and the gang piles out of the van. Jane lingers in the van door at Kali's side as she stares at the gas station uneasily.

"What are we doing?"

"Stocking up."

The duo joins their friends in the convenience store to find them already dispersed as planned. Jane sticks to Kali's side as she stops lingers by the store clerk.

"Hey, your bathroom is leaking."

The man frowns in response, hiking himself over the counter to see a pool of brown water flood out from under the door.

"Oh shit."

"Yes," Kali agrees. "Shit."

The pair watched in amusement as the man scurries over to the bathroom door, tiptoeing over the dry ground in disgust and heads inside closing the door behind him.

Axel stalks around the corner with a cocky smile and mischief in his eyes. He looks around at his mates and gestures eagerly around the store.

"Okay, contestants, you have a minute and a half, let's begin your supermarket sweep!" He cheers gleefully, sliding across the floor arms outstretched.

They sweep the area, Jane wanders down an aisle and picks up an apple. Her eyes venture further down the aisle to find the freezer of frozen treats and she discards the apple without a second thought. Making a beeline for the freezer door, she rips it open and grabs as many boxes of Eggos as she can carry. On the other end of the store, Axel jumps the counter and grabs a plastic bag fluffing out before pulling it with cash from the register. Funshine raids the other freezer for beer and Dottie - having already snatched some useful supplies for her and the other ladies - takes a gander at the selection of sunglasses.

"Hey! Put that back, or I'll blow your head off."

All heads turn to the counter where the clerk has returned and is now aiming a gun at Axel who raids the register. Axel slowly raises his hands, and the clerk steps forward.

"You hear me, freak?"

"Put the gun down," Kali orders slowly, stalking forward carefully her arms in a small surrender.

"Stay back." He warns. "Stay back."

"Darrel," she eases. "Your money is insured. We are only stealing from the war criminal billionaires who own this place. You won't even lose a dime."

As the words calmly leave her mouth, the others stalk forward to her aid in slow cautious steps.

"You won't even lose a dime."

"I said stay back." He spits, stepping forward in view of Jane.

Kali raises her hand further, her stature showing nothing but ease.

"We're on the same side. I promise."

Jane steps closer down the aisle. She has gone unnoticed so far and so she remains. The clerk is in her sights now as she reaches the end of the aisle.

"Stay back." He says once more, gun pointed in Kali's face.

With a forceful scream, Jane steps forward throwing her arm up the man. He is sent flying through the air and he crashes into a stockpile of goods that now surround him as he lays on the ground unconscious. The group gathers as they admire her work.

"Damn, Shirley," Axel marvels.

The sound of sirens quickly grabs their attention and it only takes them a matter of moments before they are safe in the van, loot in hand. Mick is quick behind the driver's seat, having taken watch over the van during the raid thanks to her quick thinking and driving skills, they lose the sirens in a matter of minutes leaving nothing behind but a cloud of dust.

||Reader's POV||

My stomach rumbles and I can feel the sharp edges as it growls. My hand comes to rest on my stomach and I fight a groan. Either I was slowing, or I didn't take into account how quickly it would grow dark. Most likely, it was a combination of both. I haven't eaten since Becky's and it's already getting duller out. I have to squint a bit to see but thankfully my eyes adjusted as the sun slowly began to fade away.

I've been taking breaks every hour and a half or so, and I've quickly come to enjoy them. I've already made a habit of checking my watch and I have to stop myself from checking it every other minute. I debate it carefully in my head and I decide that thirty seconds has been long enough. I turn over my wrist and examine the watch, and it is not a surprise at all to find that second hand has only moved thirty notches.

But eyes to linger on the watch itself and I smile as the memory of receiving the watch come back to me slowly. Dustin gave it to me for my last birthday. He had known I had been eyeing it for a while and he saved up money to pay for it. Well, technically he went splitzies with mom since it was a bit expensive, but I didn't care. I love it.

My smile fades and my stomach turns. I miss Dustin. And Mom, although I know I'm going to get an earful when I get home. Knowing Dustin, when he confronts me about going out on a solo adventure and lying to him not only as a sister but as a party member, he's going to give the silent treatment for a while. And that's just Dustin, I have no idea the extremity of what I'm in for when I return.

||3rd Person POV||

Mick draws the van to a slow as it creeps through the parking lot Gramercy Apartments. The sun has set over the horizon and the headlights sweep over glistening cement and the vehicle pulls to a stop. Mick and Axel turn to face the others, and Mick begins giving orders.

"We should case the place, stick to the routine. We have time."

"We also have her," Adds Kali. "Can you look?"

Jane nods and closes her eyes, the others watch her carefully with more patience than the last. A speck of blood peels from her nostril and her eyelids flutter open.

"He's watching television."

"Is he alone?" Mick asks.

"I saw him. No one else."

"Good enough for me." Kali shrugs.

The others nod in agreement, and Jane fiddles with the plastic doll mask in her hands. Mumbles of agreement percolate from the group and Funshine speaks up, adorning his namesake mask, a pink carebear.

"Let's do this."

The others follow his lead, and soon each face if covered, and one by one they pile out onto the street.

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

"Punky, what's the matter?"

Ray looks at his drink uncertainly, and readjusts in his Lay-Z-Boy as the man on television storms in the room, flipping on the switch and coming to the child's aid with great worry.

The small girl named Punky pets her dog comfortingly but looked desperately to the man her eyes wide and frightened.

"A nightmare. I dreamt I was in the doctor's office. All of a sudden, he's started to give me a shot in my arm."

Unbeknownst to Ray, the chain lock on his door silently unlocks itself in the other room as the frightened child on the television set continues to describe her nightmare. As he listens, he realizes it is not his drink that has left the bitter taste on his tongue.

"Then the needle got bigger and bigger and bigger..."

The chain comes undone and dangles tauntingly against the wooden door, scratching it lightly and the TV pops, the screen going dark. With a grunt, he rises from his seat and reaches the set, fiddling with the knobs to get it to work. Out of sight, Kali is the first to enter the apartment, followed closely by Jane and Dottie and the rest.

"Hello, Ray."

The man whirls around, his heart pounding in his chest to find four masked figures standing in his living room.

"Jesus Christ!" He pants, running for the door.

He comes to halt to find a masked Funshine blocking the exit. Funshine stalks forward, getting in his face.

"Sit down. Please."

Ray continues to back up, the larger masked man never ceasing his advances and he is backed into his spot in the living room. He grabbed by the shoulders suddenly and thrown into the chair.

"I said sit." He spits.

He holds out a trembling hand, too afraid to meet their eye.

"Just, please... just take whatever you want."

Axel, leans forward mockingly, his hands on his knees. All the man sees is the tallest of the bunch with a spikey mohawk - which added to his already intimidating height - and contextually unsettling mummy mask over his face.

"Oh, we will." He growls.

Dottie imitates his moves, leaning forward behind her clown mask and tilts her head. "Where's your wallet?"

"Bedroom. My bedroom. My jeans." Ray stutters, gesturing around the corner and Dottie disappears pulling Axel with her.

Funshine stands guard at the only exit at attention, arms crossed his large frame blocking anyone from moving. Axel and Dottie raid his bedroom, stealing not only the money from his wallet but pills from his drawer and anything else of cash value. Meanwhile, El and Kali stand over the cowering man who looks between them swallowing thickly.

He expects the worse, but much to his surprise the taller girl - the one he knew was in charge - took off her mask revealing a familiar face. She glared at him, before giving the ok to her companion. She complies, peeling back the doll mask to reveal a young face. The leader raises a brow.

"Do you remember us?"

Not daring to speak a word, he shakes his head no. The girls do not move but every light, every bulb in the apartment flickers violently. The entire room flashes like a funhouse with a sharp hiss furthering the illusion. The lights darken completely for a brief moment and when they return he is shown two small girls, all too familiar.

"What about us?" The braided girl asks. "Do you remember us, Ray?"

He gapes in fear and the lights flicker once more, the older girls return and he met with a strong right hook to the face. He falls to the ground, hissing in pain where he know rests on his hands and knees. Pleasingly, he looks to their angered and vengeful faces and begins to weep as they did all those years ago.

"Please. Please."

"You hurt Mama." The younger girl spits, disgust and hatred dripping from her voice.

Yet another forceful scream erupts from her throat and she whips her arm out, Ray is sent flying with it. Like the clerk, he is sent into the wall where he lays now cowering in pain and fear. The pale girl with dark eyes marches forward, disgust and rage in her eyes at a mere glance. Her shoulders move rapidly, her breathing increases as she tries to control her hated but it too strong.

Blood drips from his scalp, and his whole body is shaking. He cowers as far as he can into the broken wall, though he can't escape. Kali watches in a trance as she finds the man who haunted her memories and cowered as she did under his wrath. She did nothing to stop Jane as she advances.

"Wait..." he croaks, his voice barely audible. "Wait, please... I just did what he told me to do."

Jane tilts her head, hot angry tears flood her vision but she does not let this break her focus or her goal.

"He said she was sick." He wept.

"You had a choice, Ray," Kali says, her voice stern. "And you chose to follow a man you knew was evil."

Jane throws her hand up and he flinches violently.

"No, wait! No, wait! Wait!"

Jane falters, though her anger does not.

"I can help. I can help you find him."

Kali's jaw clenched and she speaks through gritted teeth. "Find who?"

"Brenner! I can take you to him."

This is enough to shake Jane's confidence. She can feel herself breaking at the mention but it only fuels the emotion. Her eyes cloud and she tries desperately not to allow her voice to break.

"Papa is gone."

Ray shakes his head, a mixture of regret, pity, and guilt cross his face.

"No, he is alive."

"Don't lie to us, Ray."

The man's shoulder begins to shake and he is crying once more, tears streaming freely from his cheeks.

"I'm not lying!" He croaks, his voice falling into pitiful whimpers. "I swear... he trusts me."

Jane watches in horror, her stomach flipping and her heart clenching into impossible knots she fears it will stop beating. She refuses to believe it, she does not want to. She can't.

"I'll take you to him." Ray eases.

"If he is alive, Jane will find him. Just as she found you. Do it, Jane."

But Jane is frozen, she battles the fear of the horrid possibility and yet the image of him replays in her mind on a torturous loop. Four-fifty.

"Do it."

Four fifty.

"Wait."

The man is pulled slightly from the ground, his hands clawing desperately at the invisible hold around his neck. He chokes and gasps for air as Jane scowls at the man, her hand outstretched and clenched. He topples to the floor completely, and his eyes begin to roll back in his head as he slowly moves across the floor from her forceful hold. Jane only looks at him as nothing more than something brought in on someone's shoe.

She follows him, her grip still firm and Kali trails behind her proudly, whispering in her ear.

"Not too quickly." She suggests. "He wasn't so generous with your mother."

Jane watches with satisfaction as he slides across the tile floor, his face turning purple and his going bloodshot. Veins pop from his head and she feels strength in his pain. But her eyes drift to the broken frame near his head. It was him, smiling, his arms wrapped around two young girls.

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

Axel and Dottie reach the final door in the hallway and swing it open. Their stomachs drop when their eyes land on the sight of two young girls hiding in the corner, clinging to one another and a working phone, 911 on the other line.

"Oh, shit."

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

Jane releases her grip, her strain lifting and she begins to paint. The man coughs and gasps for breath, but he is relieved. Kali looks to Jane frantically.

"What's wrong?" When she receives no answer, she asks again louder and harsher. "What's wrong?"

Axel appears in the hallway, gesturing to the open door behind him where Dottie appears.

"We got a problem."

"Kids in the apartment." Dottie pants.

"Please..." Ray whimpers.

Kali desperately returns her attention to the task at hand, urgency creeping up.

"Did he show your mother mercy? No."

Ray's cries go ignored as Kali continues to whisper to Jane, her motives and wounds pushing her and Jane stands to stare at the pleading man. Torn.

"He took her from you, without hesitation."

"Please don't. Please."

"We got to go, K!" Axel shouts. "They called the cops."

"We finish this first." She snaps, returning to the girl. "Jane, now!"

"Please don't... Please. Please."

Unable to waste any more time, Kali whips out her gun, pointing it at the man who shrieks in fear. Jane's attention snaps to her hand and with one swift flick of her head, the gun flies across the room and crashes through the window, shattering the glass. Kali looks disbelieving at Jane, fire in her eyes seething and for the first time, Jane falters. Her eyes flicker to the ground and once again she feels like a scolded pet, nothing more than she was in the lab.

"Kali, we gotta go!" Axel shouts, running down the hallway Dottie on his tail.

Sirens were approaching and only then did they snap out of their trances. They fled down the apartment and out of the back door and down the stairs. They fumble across the grass out back, the police already swarming the apartment from the parking lot. Just in time and as promised, Mick pulls the van to a halting stop at the curb where it waits for them

The van is in motion before the door closed and when they find themselves ok the open road, Kali begins to speak. She turns to Jane, who sits beside her, her arms folded in and she closed off. Tears streak down her cheeks but this does not lessen Kali's venom.

"If you wanted to show mercy, that is your choice. But don't you ever take away mine. Ever. Do you understand?" Her voice raises as she gets in Jane's face. "Do you understand?"

Jane flinches, her breathing still heavy and spotty but all she can do is look away swallowing the bitter taste.


	31. The Lost Sister - P6 - FINAL

||3rd Person POV||

No one spoke to her on the ride home after Kali's lecture, especially Kali. Jane immediately dismissed herself to her room when they returned and there she sat in a dreadful silence. Her mind was racing. Thoughts of the cabin, thoughts of the lab, thoughts of tonight. Thoughts of what she believed living here with them would be like. And what it really was.

But what kept coming back to her was Y/n's voice. Their last conversation before she left.

"Just, hear me out, please! You didn't hear the things she was just planning. The things she just said to her friends out there, you don't understand-"

"No, Y/n. You don't understand me."

Jane shakes her head in disgust, unable to believe the words changed between them. Why had that happened? How did things go so wrong so quickly? There was still anger and resentment towards Y/n, but it was faded and dying out. More than anything, she missed her.

She found her feet were carrying her to the ends of the bed where the remainder of her things lay forgotten. The remnants of what felt like a life long forgotten. Peeking from the half-opened zipper of her bag was the flannel shirt she had worn just hours ago. Her legs folded beneath her as she knelt before her belongings, her fingers running over the fabric. With a heavy heart, she plucked it from the bag to bring it close only to find her brows in a hard crease.

Jane's eyes had fallen to the outside zipper where the sleeve had caught, and what surprised her is she didn't remember opening it. Setting the shirt aside, she inspected the pocket to find nothing but the photo of Kali she had used to get here. And that's when her heart stopped.

The Missing Experiment files. They were gone, missing. And so was the remainder of her money, though this was not what bothered Jane. 

Now Y/n knew. Now Y/n knew that she had withheld the files. Jane deflated with a heavy sigh, feeling a crushing weight on her conscious. She knew she would come to regret it and low and behold. Of course, she had meant to share them with her, why else would she have brought them? But after seeing Y/n, she was overwhelmed with relief and she was swept up in their reunion and then their plans of getting to Becky's.

But the last night on the bus.

《•••》

"Like I said before, Mike hasn't been himself since you left. And now Will is acting up, in fact, he's... completely different. He's sick, he's really sick and he's angrier than usual. The party is falling apart, and I've felt more alone these past few weeks than I have in a really long time. And on top of it all," Her voice lowers, and her eyes scan the area before leaning in. "I'm still finding stuff I didn't know I could do. I've been having trouble, controlling my powers."

El's eyes widen, and subconsciously her hand finds the pocket of her bag. The files! She needed to see them. But a terrible thought struck her.

If she gave her friend the files, what would stop her from wanting to leave? Go back home? She'd be alone again, her only hope the girl from the rainbow room but who knows what she was like? El noted the animated look in her friend's eye, the way she lit up and she felt a heavy feeling clench her heart.

"The point is, you showing up has been just what I needed. And yes, it's really scary, but thanks to you I found out how I got here, where I came from. That's really good! I have you to thank for that."

Against her better judgment, her mind and body screaming at her, to tell the truth, and show her the files, El only smiles weakly. Her lips sew shut and her hand returns to her lap.

《•••》

Jane feels her legs grow damp, and she realizes she is crying. Silent tears streak her cheeks and she sniffles, hanging her head.

What Y/n must think.

Y/n had been nothing but kind to her, ever since that night Mike took her in. And looking back on the previous night, she only had her best interests at heart even if she did upset Jane.

But friends don't lie, she reminds herself.

And jane of all people knew how it felt to have been lied to.

But what could she do now? Y/n was gone, and even though she now had someone who understood the life of the lab, she felt awfully alone.

A knock on the door ripped her from her thoughts. She jumped slightly but she turned her head, mentally brushing it off. She found Kali in the doorway. She gestured with her eyes to the bed across from Jane.

"May I sit?"

Jane merely shrugged, and Kali stepped forward and took a seat across from her on a swivel chair. She took a deep lingering breath before speaking.

"I was once just like you, you know that? But that's why I'm hard on you, because I see in you my past mistakes."

The disgust returned to Jane's face, and she nearly shook off her words. "They were kids."

"Does that excuse that man's sins? Were we not also children?"

Jane only looks away with no reply.

"Do you remember what I told you last night? That when your friend, Y/n had escaped everything changed?"

This drew Jane's eye, but her glower remained. Kali was treading on thin ice.

"When she escaped, they spent years looking for her. Do you know why? Because she was rumored to be the most powerful of us all." Kali croaked, tears forming in her eyes as they drifted to the other side of the room.

"Signs of her power showed months before she was born, and they became obsessed. The idea of her became an impossible standard that we were forced to meet. They searched for her for years, I remember hearing whispers of her when I arrived. And then you came along, and I had a friend."

"But when they gave up hope, that is when everything changed. Jane, why do you think we were beaten? Imprisoned? They were so desperate to recreate what they had lost that they were willing to do anything to get it back."

Hot tears stung Jane's eyes and she shook her head, refusing to believe the harsh truth.

"No," she croaked.

"Yes, Jane. Yes, listen to me. That is why men like Ray treated us the way that we were treated. Not only were you their guinea pig, but you were also her replacement. All those years, spent in the room, all those years beaten and starved, they were pushing you. Testing you, and forcing you to be someone you are not."

Tears of her own slipped from Kali's eyes, she now held Jane's hands firmly in her own grasping her tightly. But Jane continued to cry, shaking her head as she was forced to relive the memories. She no longer felt like Jane, she felt like Eleven again and she hated it. She despised it. Kali finally stopped, the pad of thumb swiping across the back of Jane's hand in an act of comfort but it only made Jane feel worse. It reminded her of Y/n, and once again she was torn. She missed her friend terribly but the truth sickened her.

Kali continued, her voice more gentle.

"I remember the day that I came to the rainbow room and you were gone. Shortly after I was taken away and I shared with, I was relocated several times. I never saw you again. And that's when things got worse... So when my gifts were strong enough I used them to escape. And I ran. I ran away as far as I could."

She gulped, swallow the lump forming in her throat at the memory.

"And it was there, far away. That I found a place to hide. A family. A home. Just like you and your policeman. But they couldn't help me. So, eventually, I lost them, too."

Jane looked down at her feet, she was overwhelmed with the memories of her first night outside the lab. At Mike's. And Y/n took her in when the boys did not understand. But it is quickly soiled by the memory of the cabin. Her feeling trapped and isolated once more.

"So, I decided to play the part. To stop hiding. To use my gifts against those who hurt us. You're now faced with the same choice, Jane. Go back into hiding and hope they don't find you. Fight, and face them again."

"Face who?"

Kali hesitates but speaks firmly. A silent decision made up in her mind.

"The man who calls himself our father."

Jane shook her head, speaking through clenched teeth. "Papa is dead."

"That man tonight disagreed."

Jane felt her blood run ice cold, her stomach dropped through the floor and her she swore her heart stopped beating at the all too familiar voice behind her. Her head whipped over her shoulder and in the doorway stood a figure she never thought she'd see again. The man who abused her all her life, the very reason she felt so broken. The virus that destroyed anything he got his hands on. But she was smart enough to know.

"You're not real." She says, rising from the floor and slowly stepping forward.

He simply grins and tilts his head. His tell of disappointment.

"All this time? And you haven't looked for me? Why? Because you thought I was dead?"

Jane steps forward, wanting to be braver than she appeared. Though no matter the facts before her, even if he was nothing more than what Kali was telling her was real, she did not feel like Jane. She was Eleven. No more than a number. She hated the feeling, and she was furious and betrayed her sister would do such a thing. But all she could think of was the fear. The pain. Him.

"Or because you were afraid of what you might find?"

Bravely, she swallowed her fear. She shook her head, shrugging him off in anger.

"Go away." She ordered.

He steps forward, his tall figure towering over her like a shadow. A shadow she can never seem to escape.

"You have to confront your pain. You have a wound, Eleven,"

Eleven backs away, ashamed of her fear but she attempts to hold her ground as he pokes and prods once more.

"a terrible wound."

He continues to advance, and she continues to cower just as the man named Ray did. Her composure breaks and tears begin to flow once more. Eleven chokes back a whimper.

"And it's festering."

Her feet hit the bag and she collapses to the ground, gazing up at him through her blurred vision.

"Do you remember what that means? Festering?" His eyes never leaving hers, never blinking, he lowers himself in front of her. "It means a rot. And it will grow. Spread."

"Get out of my head." She whispers.

"And eventually, it will kill you."

She feels herself snap, the lights flicker around them and she screams with all her might.

"GET OUT OF MY HEAD!"

She collapses into tears, cradling the flannel close to her for any scrap of comfort. Sobs wracked her body and when her head lifts, she finds Kali looking up at her with a smile.

"This is not a prison, Jane. You're always free to return to your policeman. Or stay, and avenge your mother. Let us heal our wounds, together."

No more words are spoken, and Kali rises leaving the room and a dismayed sister.

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

Unknowingly, a squad of police cars and SWAT team snake the streets of Chicago, growing ever closer to the hideout minute by minute. Mick sits in her usual perch, her attention focused solely on the lookout at her usual window while Funshine slams his cards against the steel table with a deep rumbling laugh.

"Full house." He cheers.

Axel swipes his arm across the table with fury.

"Screw this. I'm out." He rises from the table, beer in hand as he marches away.

Dottie chortles and calls after him.

"Out of money, you mean. You are broke!" 

She collects the discarded money as Funshine cackles. The two divide the money and Dottie looks over her shoulder.

"You want in, Mick?"

She scoffs, taking a puff from her cigarette.

"Nope."

"Aw, come on! Just one hand." She whines.

"You're the worst."

"How I am the worst?"

"Because, one hand leads to hands, and two hands lead to three. And before you know it I'm as broke as Axel."

"Are in or out?"

"Out."

Lost in the argument, Mick fails to notice the swarm of guards circling the place. They break off and take several paths and their presence remains unknown.

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

Jane sits on her side of the bed, her mind and heart still calming from her previous encounter. The flannel still clothes tightly in her hands, she holds it up before bringing it close to her heart. Her mind takes her back once again to the first night outside the lab. The good moments, the ones she thought of so often.

《•••》

Mike smiles softly at her, a wonderous gaze in his eyes. No one had ever looked at her like that before. With appreciation. And awe.

"Maybe we can call you 'El.' Short for Eleven?"

•••

The bullies flee in her path, and the boy who once asked too much of her after their first meeting, the boy who quickly became her friend called after them. A mix of fury and pride as he declared his loyalty after they hurt them.

"YOU'D BETTER RUN! SHE'S OUR FRIEND, AND SHE'S CRAZY!"

•••

Mike leans over her, an untamed smile on his lips as he once again stares at her in awe. Even when she had confessed her darkest secret, the secret she feared would ruin their friendship.

"No, El. You're not the monster. You saved me, you understand? You saved me."

•••

She was used to people speaking of her harshly when she was in the room, not taking into consideration her feelings. But the girl was full of surprises. She dismissed the behavior, and for the first time in her life she was told - she was shown - that she didn't deserve it. And she even offered her comfort.

"If you ever need anything or someone to talk to, even after we get everything sorted out, well, I'm here." Y/n smiled at her, and a warmth spread through her chest.

•••

"Co-compromise?" She asks, her face scrunched up in confusion.

"It's something that's kind of in-between. Like halfway happy."

Hopper reaches out a hand and ruffles her curls bringing a large smile to her face. The warmth returns.

•••

His odd movement the first day in the cabin. The music played and an odd look crossed Hopper's face, and much to her embarrassment, he began to bounce around.

"Once we fix it up, it's gonna be nice. Real nice. This is your new home."

[END OF FLASHBACKS]

She opens her eyes, finding herself in the void yet again. When she sees who is with her she realizes who her mind was searching for.

Hopper.

He is strained and scared, he paces the floor next to a strange panel that reminds her of the lab. This worries her. His palms dig into his eyes and he grunts, silently processing. He begins to pace once more, his hand on his hips and Jane approaches him slowly. He looks to the console, grief, and despair overwhelm as he leans his weight on the ridge.

"That's where I was. It's a damn graveyard."

"I need to get through! I need to get through."

Mike, it was Mike. He was approaching the distance and desperation and fear rang in his voice. She watches as an invisible force pushes him back. But his desperate calls do not concede.

"I need to warn them! It's a trap! I need to get through. It's a trap. I need to tell them it's a trap!" He shrieks, his voice cracking.

"Mike!"

She wasted no time in running for him. He does not see her but he continues to jump AMD fight over against an invisible force as he calls out to someone.

"IT'S A TRAP. IT'S A TRAP!"

Her arms extend to catch him, but he fades at her touch. She turns frantic, looking around the room but in her heart, she knows she lost the connection.

"Mike! Mike! Mike, where are you? Mike! Mike! Mike!"

She spins in circles, though all sense often direction is lost. Hopper has disappeared as well and she is now all alone. It's eerily quiet apart from the sound of her drumming heart. Though she quickly realizes this is not the case.

THUMP

THUMP

THUMP

Jane is ripped from the void and she finds herself back in the bedroom. The sounds of the steel door being thrown open echo throughout the warehouse and she flies to the window. Troops swarm the lower flower and she gasps silently when she feels a hand upon her shoulder.

"Let's go." Kali whispers lowered tongue floor.

Jane complies, immediately followed her lead and she sinks to the ground. Her hand clasped tightly in Kali's they dart across the landing and up the stairs to the others, unfortunately, giving themselves away. Klai hears their orders and knows they are after them.

"The hell's going on?" Axel asks.

"They found us!"

"Jesus Christ!"

Axel whips out his gun, but Kali reaches for it.

"No, no, no!" She orders, gesturing for everyone to freeze.

She silences them, ordering them to pack in and freeze, they all comply without question.

The guards round the corner, and begin sweeping the area. They all tense, but they watch holding their breath as the guards begin to scan the area. They do see them. Kali is hiding them. They watch, frozen as statues their hearts pumping as the officers snake right by them. Jane and Axel have to silently step out of their path but the illusion remains and no one moves a muscle. All the officers see in an abandoned room.

When they pass, Kali gives the okay and they run noiselessly for the exit. They have to take the back entrance, and Kali manages to keep the illusion up as they flee. It finally gives when they escape the building through the side but they are quickly spotted.

"We gotta go, now!"

"HEY! HEY!"

"Jane, come on!" Mick senses her lagging and grabs her hand pulling her through.

Axelnis last to approach the van but he turns and begins firing over his shoulder.

"Come on, hurry!"

Jane is pulled to safety behind the van, and the others dive for cover. They each manage to squeeze behind the van, sharp pings echo out in the night as the bullets hit the side.

Axel manages to get a few shots in from the corner, and Funshine uses himself to shield Dottie and Jane as glass rains down.

"Do something, Kal! Do something!"

But she is already at work. Her mind reaches out to find each of the officers and it begins to paint a picture. Enormous beams of steel erupt from the ground and rise to the stars, higher than any skyscraper, completing separating them from the men. Convincing them of that at least. The shots cease as they stare on shock and awe, iron and steel walls rising up from nothing and they are unable to do anything but stare.

Funshine opens the van door, ensuring everyone makes it okay and they do. Kali is the last to enter, her illusion to still holding. She turns to find Jane lingering by the door, but she cannot enter.

"Jane, get in."

Something is stopping her.

"It's a damn graveyard."

"Mike!"

"IT'S A TRAP! IT'S A TRAP!"

She shakes her head no.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry, but I have to go back." She says, bringing tears to Kali's eyes.

"My friends... My friends are in danger."

"This isn't time for a talk. We have to go right now!" Axel orders, cutting in.

And like that the illusion was broken, the wall disappears. But Kali does not care, refusing to give up one person who understood her.

"Your mother sent you here for a reason, remember? We belong together. There's nothing for you back there. They cannot save you, Jane."

She merely shakes her head. This was not who she was.

"No,"

《•••》

El marches forward, her eyes fixed on the bullies ahead of her, where they tortured her friends. Nearly killed Mike, if she hadn't returned.

《•••》

"But I can save them."

She turns and flees down the ally, wiping away the tears that fall as her sister's call is drowned out in the returning fire.

"Jane? Jane. Jane! JANE!"

The illusion breaks and the van pulls out, the door sliding shut. The world around to her fades and the voices and presence of her friends are drowned out in her grief.

With trembling hand, Kali swipes away the drop of blood streaming from her nose and turns away. She looks out the window before anyone can see her cry. Her world breaks in two, and once again the piece of her that made her whole, is lost to her once again. Her lost sister. All she sees is the passing lights as the van weaves through the streets and her tearstained reflection in the rain spotted window, just as Jane does.

Jane now found herself on a bus once more, her head hung glumly against the glass as she dwells. A soft and friendly voice calls out to her from across the aisle, and she turns.

"You all right, sweetie?"

She finds an older woman in the seat, she wears a friendly smile as reaches a hand out to adjoining seat.

"You were looking a little forlorn there. You mind if I join you?"

She doesn't say anything but silently gestures to the open seat next to her. The woman rises and joins with a soft hum.

"You are awfully young to be traveling alone, aren't you?" She asks worriedly.

She merely looks away, knowing better not to answer questions.

The lady hums a laugh and shakes her head.

"Well, you are quite the chatterbox."

The woman continues to attempt idle chatter, hoping to gift comfort to the troubled girl.

"So where you headed?" She quirks a brow, speaks soothingly. "To your parents, I hope."

Finally, she meets her eyes.

"To my friends."

She looks ahead of her, for once in a very long while she feels a swell of hope and that familiar feeling of warmth in her chest. The warmth she has longed for all her life, and only now does she realize she had it. With her policeman. With her friends. The one place she could truly be herself, not Eleven. Not even Jane, but El.

"I'm going home."

The warmth spreads through her chest, it's set ablaze in her and it spreads throughout herself. It stretches to her fingertips, to the tips of her toes and it even sparks a warm smile that curls her lips.

And El had never been more eager to return.

||Reader's POV||

It took hours but I finally reach Mirkwood. And although my eyes have adjusted well to the night, my eyes squint to find my bike. I curse my past self for hiding it so well when my heart bursts in my chest as my foot hooks and I fall to the ground. Groaning, I turn over, untangling my foot from what I assume is root when I realize it's my bike.

I forgot I had buried in under leaves and it must have been buried further in the wind. With a grimace, I look to my hands, mud and hook cling to my palms and I quickly dust them off before rising to my feet and lifting the poor slightly rusted thing.

It gives a terrible creak but I shift the handles and it loosens up. I swipe the seat with my sleeve, discarding the excess dirt from the leather but when my eyes return to the road I realize I do not see it.

Shit.

I wandered too far and once again I curse myself for my bike's hiding spot. Shaking my head, a great sigh escaping me my eyes sweep the area. I see a dip in the hill farther along the path that eagerly I inspect. I'm met with an eerily familiar scene, and only then do I get a sense of where I am on Mirkwood. The train tracks, we passed by here last year during our search for the gate. But something is different, it's an odd sight that I do not expect to see.

My head turns, I squint down the long stretch of tracks going either way and I notice that every seven feet or so, is a pile of meat? At the very least, I know I'm heading farther southwest. I mount my bike in the ditch beside the tracks and curiously I follow knowing eventually it will lead me out of the forest and I can ride from there.

I feel great relief in my feet when I sit, but I still have to push through the terrain as I ride. Though it does not worry me, my speed picks up considerably and I am already traveling at a much greater speed. Before long, I find myself out of the woods and into a further clearing. I stop, shifting my weight to one leg as I keep myself still as I study my surroundings.

There's a great deal of fog, but eventually, I find a revealing factor about my surroundings. The hill descends and there are several dark masses along the hill poking put from the white clouds but I finally recognize where I stand. The junkyard.

I'm about to head off when I notice two figured perched on top of a familiar-looking bus. I have to squint, but sure enough, my eyes siren when I recognize a full head of bright red hair and the bandana clad mini afro. 

Max and Lucas! What the hell are they doing here? And more importantly, what was that distant growl?

Before I can piece together what is going on, I realize my bike is edging down the hill. It has gained momentum by the time I regain control, but luckily I am able to turn to take cover behind an old car. Thinking fast, I jerk my handlebars to the side and lean my weight on my right and just as I had hoped my bike skids to slow on its side. Out of sight. I'm thankful I have learned from last year when I was cornered by the vans but I know I am not out of the clear yet.

My landing definitely wasn't silent, but at least I was able to muffle the sounds. I realize it doesn't matter seeing as a bunch of fog was swept away during my crash. I freeze, my ears perked for any sign of movement and I feel my blood run cold and I flinch when Lucas's fearful cries echo across the yard.

"Three o'clock! Three o'clock!"

My first thought is he saw me, but the thought quickly disappears when I hear another growl nearby.

Against my better judgment, but anxious to know if I'm anywhere near the threat, I slip out from under my bike and cautiously peek from behind the tire.

I gape as I see several dog-like figures stalking towards the very same bus we hid in, and equally as shocking I spot a figure climb out of the bus who I recognized as... Steve Harrington? He was swinging a spiked bat and he began whistling for, what again, I assumed was a beastly rabid dog. Thought deep down, some part of me knows that is not what these things are.

Without a thought, I returned to my hiding position, my breathing sporadic but I have no choice but to stay still. I freeze as I hear footsteps approach though somehow they don't sound human. They come in fours and I assume it's the dogs that are approaching.

I steady my breathing, praying that it doesn't hear me though that's even if it doesn't smell me first. But the last thing I expect comes into view. 

That's impossible. It can't be.

I could swear up and down that before me was a Demogorgan.

It's on all fours and I do not know how it hasn't seen me yet. As if my luck hasn't pushed itself yet, it freezes at the sound of Steve's voice.

"Come on, buddy. Human tastes better than cat, I promise."

Wait, what?

The demogorgan turns and begins stalking back towards Steve and my eyes closed as a silent sigh rolls off my chest. Nevertheless, I know I have to help. Testing my luck once more, I peer around the corner to find several of these beast surrounding him, and that's when I hear Lucas's frightened cries.

"Steve, watch out!"

"A little busy here!" Steve snaps.

"Three o'clock! Three o'clock!"

I watch in shock as Steve drives across one of the roofs of the cars, just narrowly avoiding getting hit. He turns, and for a moment I think I might have been spotted and I panic. I try and understand why in the hell I'm hiding when I should be helping them. The answers all too clear when I find myself spiraling.

What if I can't handle it? I'm not fully prepared to take on a bunch of demogorgans yet, and what if I choke and endanger myself and others by trying to help.

No. I shake my head, scolding myself for wasting time. I was certainly not dealing with this now, and I'm already in. I have to help.

It's mostly the frightened screams that rip me from my daze and I realize that the voice on hearing is my Dustin's!

"Steve! Abort! Abort!"

"Steve run!"

"Steve hurry!"

Getting into position, I ready myself to attack. I have the advantage, that I know for sure when I see them target the bus. Steve has made it inside, but they are still fighting to get in.

That's when my heard stops.

I spot one that seems to be peering down into the roof hatch and a shrill scream echoes out from the bus and pierces the air.

Fuck, here goes nothing.

I jump to my feet before I can allow myself the time to talk myself out of it, and I sprinted for the bus. A surprisingly vigorous cry erupts from my throat and my arms are thrown up into the air. Once again, I embrace the anger and I find it is quicker to summon. The scream is enough to grab the beast's attention, buying me time and I explode. The familiar hot burst of energy explodes from my palm and the beast is sent flying, it's screech is horribly familiar but there is no time dwell.

I pant heavily as I watch it disappear out of view and I look around. Several creatures are advancing on me and quickly, I scale a nearby car gaining ground. They come for me, but I'm too quick. Everything moves in a blur, pun unintended I suppose as I deflect their attacks. They are blown back with my burst of energy and I gape as I witness my own abilities. My knees give out and I tumble on the grass, and they begin to circle.

"Y/n?"

But I definitely hear shouts come from the bus as I fight but I barely register them as the demogorgons begin to surround me.

"Stay back!" I shriek, hitting them with another blast. "Stay the hell back!"

"What the hell is going on?"

I don't last as long as I hope, and using all using strength I attempt to stay awake when I hear and a loud thump behind me and I glance back to see the bus moving with heavy footsteps.

Not allowing another second of my attention wasted, I look back to the creatures to find them staring off in the distance. I tense, ready to strike at any moment when suddenly they begin to circle me, staring me down. I meet their eyeless gaze and I turn with them assuring my back is never exposed. But much to my surprise, they dart after the bus.

I panic, my arms reaching out to hit them with another blast as I follow but I come to stop when I see them each simultaneously part around the bus. Moments pass and not a single strikes, they merely flee the junkyard and disappear into the night.

I frown after them despite the relief and I allow my legs to give out. My ones hit the dirt and I wince, mostly from my empty lungs and there I sit, fighting the dizzy spell I'm suddenly under until I hear several footsteps approach.

"Y/n! Oh, my God, what the shit!" Dustin cries.

I look up and spot him running towards me and I jump back when he slides onto the grass, and nearly knocking me over.

A million things cross my mind, and for a moment I do not know what to say. All I can do is pant for breath, and with a weak chuckle, I grin halfheartedly.

"You're... welcome."


End file.
